Children's home run by The Partnership of Care Today

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:

 Staff encourage young people to express their views and to be involved in meaningful decisions, which affect them.  Staff help young people to understand how to manage their behaviour and make safer decisions, such as not going missing from care.  Staff work in partnership with other professionals to ensure that young people receive the best support and guidance they need to stay safe and healthy.  Young people accept the support of staff, which enables them to make good progress in their learning through regular school attendance.  Managers and staff provide young people with a safe, secure, caring and stimulating environment, where young people can develop and achieve physically, emotionally, socially and educationally.  Young people are positive about the care and support they receive and feel safe in the home.  Young people get daily opportunities to participate in activities that support their personal development, talents and abilities.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people receive support from committed staff to develop their knowledge, skills, values and attitudes in preparing for adult life.  Some improvement is required. This includes ensuring that young people’s risk assessments stay up to date and the manager keeps a contingency plan for any staff shortfalls.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that 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

In order to meet the protection of children standard, with particular reference to risk assessments, the registered person must ensure

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Requirement Due date

(2)(e) that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. 14 July 2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Ensure contingency plans help to prepare for the event of a shortfall in staffing levels. If it is likely that there might only be two members of staff on duty at any time, the manager should make a formal assessment of the implications for children's care, including any likely risks. This assessment should be recorded and available for inspection by Ofsted and placing authorities (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.18).

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Information about this children's home

The home is registered to provide care for six young people, with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is owned by a private company.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

10 February 2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

4 February 2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Good

Managers and staff are committed to improving the quality of life for the young people in their care. They take the time to listen and understand individual needs and concerns. Young people value this commitment. For example, one young person reported, ‘the staff are friendly and care about us.’ The admission planning is good. The manager considers all potential new admissions and ensures that the staff team can meet the identified needs of young people. Young people are given information about the home and are able to visit and meet other young people and staff before their admission. This allows young people the opportunity to form initial attachments and to be prepared for their move. The manager makes certain that the care of young people is underpinned by personalised and comprehensive care plans. All staff are aware of the detail of the plan, which helps them to meet individual needs. Staff also encourage young

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Good

people to play a key goal in their care plan. This means young people are aware of what their objectives are and how these will be met. The manager makes sure there is a good medication management system so that staff practice results in the safe administration of medication. Staff maintain good record keeping and medication is securely stored. The staff team ensures that young people on admission are registered with all relevant health agencies, such as dentists, opticians, and general practitioners. These measures help to give young people access to healthcare to enable their physical health to be promoted, maintained and treated. All young people attend the organisation’s on-site school. Education is highly valued and care staff ensure that young people are fully supported to attend and achieve. For example, staff support young people in the classroom. This provides continuity of care, especially in safeguarding young people’s emotional well-being

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Good

and the links to educational achievement. The views and opinions of young people are actively sought on different aspects of the home, such as menu planning and activities. This helps them to influence decisions that directly affect them. Key-worker sessions and house meetings also take place regularly. These additional opportunities give young people a strong voice to influence the running of the home and their own futures. Young people confirm that they know how to make a complaint if they are unhappy or have any concerns about their care. This opens up avenues for them to practice their rights and to know their feelings matter to others. Staff ensure that young people are able to maintain contact with their families and friends. Staff will facilitate contact, regularly providing transport, so that these important connections are maintained. Young people make good progress in developing independence skills, which are

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Good

appropriate to their age and understanding. Young people have support of staff to learn basic tasks, such as making their beds, doing laundry and cooking. This helps young people to develop practical skills and enables them to complete daily tasks safely and independently. These all help young people to build the skills they need for prepare for adulthood. Young people enjoy a wide range of social activities away from the home. These include swimming, bowling and cinema trips. One young person reported, ‘It’s great. We get to go out on fun activities.’

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Good

Relationships between staff and young people are positive. The staff use this relationship to show concern and to create an atmosphere where young people are able to feel safe and secure. Staff have a clear understanding of the importance of safeguarding and the need for vigilance. Through the help of safeguarding training, the staff team feel confident in their role and in their duties to promote young people's welfare. One young person reported, ‘The staff make sure we are safe.’ The Staff team’s oversight of risk assessments is not consistent and mean errors go unnoticed. For example, records hold the wrong dates. This hinders staff having update information that helps them assess risk and to be consistent in how this is managed. Staff are trained in behaviour management. This helps them develop their skills and competence in managing young people's behaviour effectively. Staff practice is focused on helping young people to find different ways to control their emotions

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Good

and frustrations and therefore avoiding the need for any physical interventions. The organisation employs a therapist who works alongside staff to provide emotional support to young people. The therapist also provides advice and guidance to staff to ensure their care practice gives the appropriate emotional support to young people. Staff know how to implement and follow the local authority’s joint protocol and procedures for reporting young people missing from care. They take appropriate action to locate young people quickly and promote their safe return. An independent person sees young people after a missing-from-care episode. This means that staff can evaluate young people’s behaviour, identify any trends or issues, and use this to inform future safeguarding practice. Young people benefit from living in a safe environment. Staff make sure that the home is kept safe by doing regular health and safety checks and making sure that

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Good

equipment is serviced. They also practise the home's fire evacuation procedure and test the system on a regular basis. This ensures that young people have awareness of what to do in the event of an emergency. Young people are protected by the organisation's robust recruitment practices. Staff are vetted and assessed as suitable before any appointment is confirmed. These procedures promote the safety of the young people by preventing unsuitable adults from working with them. The home is a large spacious farmhouse in a rural location. The home is currently being redecorated with some refurbishment to bedrooms. Young people have been involved in this process, choosing colour schemes for their own bedrooms. This gives young people a sense of belonging and ownership for where they live.

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Good

The home has an appropriately qualified registered manager in place. The manager has been in post since August 2013 and holds a national vocational qualification in leadership, health and social care at level 4. Staffing levels are appropriate to meet young people's needs. However, there have been instances when a staff member has been running late or unable to attend the workplace. The manager has not responded promptly to this and, as a result, young people have not had the appropriate number of staff supervision. This could have a negative impact on young people’s safety and well-being. There are systems in place to ensure that important training is regularly updated or refreshed. Staff either hold their level 3 qualification in residential childcare or are undertaking their qualification within the required timeline. Staff feel that they receive good support and training, and are valued in the role

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Good

that they play. They receive regular supervision and confirm that their supervision supports and challenges their performance to improve. Regular team meetings and daily handovers keep staff informed about young people's daily activities and progress. This ensures that they have frequent opportunities to reflect on their practice to help them to meet young people’s needs. The manager ensures that the home operates in line with the aims and objectives as set out in the statement of purpose. The manager ensure the statement of purpose provides clear information about the level of service provided and clear information for stakeholders, such as social workers about the aims, objectives and facilities offered. This helps social workers to make an informed decision over making a placement at the home. Young people are provided with a copy of the children’s guide. This provides them with an overview of the home and information about what to do if they are not

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Good

happy about any aspect of their care. The organisation ensures that there are monthly independent monitoring reports that review the home’s performance and young people’s progress, and identifies areas for improvement. Young people contribute to the monitoring process and influence the progress of the home. The manager acts promptly to address any areas raised for improvement, which shows commitment to providing good-quality care for young people. The manager promotes and develops effective partnerships with other agencies including the police, youth offending service and placing authorities. There is evidence that young people are better protected as a direct result of this collaborative approach. For example, the police are undertaking a piece of preventative work with staff and young people about child sexual exploitation. Staff are aware of any potential risks both in the home and in the community. For

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Good

example, the appropriateness and suitability of the home’s location is well assessed and considers factors that may be of risk to young people such as the lack of street lighting. This means that staff can be aware of specific risks to young people in the local area and take action to manage them. The manager understands the strengths and weaknesses of the home and continues to make improvements to the service. The manager and area manager have a development plan in place to drive forward improvements. There were no requirements or recommendations raised 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’.

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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

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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