Children's Home run by Stoke-on-Trent City Council in Stoke-on-Trent

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:

 Young people make exceptional progress in all aspects of their lives.  Staff have excellent relationships with young people and are committed to offering a high quality service.  Young people mature, and their confidence significantly increases.  Managers are highly effective and have high aspirations for young people.  Relationships with families and other professionals are very strong.

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to two children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is operated by a local authority which only supports young people from its area.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

3 March 2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

23 February 2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Outstanding

Young people make exceptional, sustained progress in all key areas of their life. This is due to the close relationships they have with staff and the consistent, individualised support they receive from them. The relationship and support significantly enhance young people’s life chances.

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Outstanding

Young people are overwhelmingly positive about the care they receive. One young person stated, ‘The help staff have given me is the most important… they have been great… I am where I am because of them… I am so grateful. ’ Another young person explained, ‘The best thing I did was walking into this home… if it wasn’t for the staff I would be in prison… the home is outstanding.’ Professionals also talk extremely positively about the excellent relationships between staff and young people. One social worker stated, ‘Staff go above and beyond… they support young people really well.’ Another explained, ‘The reason she has achieved is due to the support she gets from staff.’

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Outstanding

Young people become more ambitious and more motivated by the care that they are offered to attend school and college. Their school or college attendance is now 100%. For some young people, this is a highly significant accomplishment. As a result, young people achieve academically in comparison to their starting points. Education professionals confirm this. A tutor explained that one young person had managed to complete her qualification early due to her hard work. Another young person was sitting her GCSE exams. A teacher stated, ‘She is really putting the work in.’

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Outstanding

Despite facing significant challenges, young people’s self-belief and confidence improve significantly. Consequently, they make excellent progress socially and emotionally and have high aspirations for their future. Research and a clear understanding of attachment theory underpin staff practice. Regular consultations with a clinical psychologist are used well and are effective in improving staff practice in the home. Some staff also disseminate training and research to the rest of the team. A practical example of this is the use of ‘jars of joy’. These contain positive messages, observations and comments about each young person. A young person explained, ‘When I am down or I doubt myself, I look at them and the messages the staff leave make me feel better’. Increasing self-confidence has now enabled a young people to chair her own reviews and to talk confidently about her plans, education and friendships. Another young person takes part in a range of

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Outstanding

positive activities, including theatre productions, mentoring, volunteer work and training for Ofsted inspectors. These activities further enhance young people’s self- belief, confidence, and the quality of their day-to-day experiences.

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Outstanding

Staff sensitively support and encourage young people with their personal hygiene, physical and sexual health. This helps young people to make positive developments develop in these areas. Staff also help young people to prepare for their increasing independence. They skilfully balance the risks this poses with opportunities for young people to improve their skills.

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Outstanding

Young people’s views are central to the running of the home. Staff consult young people in all aspects of their care, and support them to take increasing control of the decisions that affect them. Young people influence how often they see their families. This ensures that young people feel that their views are valued and provides them with a degree of control. It also ensures that they stay in touch with the people most important to them.

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Outstanding

Young people feel safe. When asked about this, a young person stated, ‘That’s a really stupid question! Of course I feel safe here!’

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Outstanding

Staff understand the risks that young people face. Highly effective, proactive planning identifies potential risks and ensures that staff manage these very effectively – both inside and outside of the home. An independent reviewing officer commented, ‘Risks are really well managed, all professionals are kept well informed, the young person would not be where they are without this support from staff.’

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Outstanding

Staff talk with young people about risks using creative methods. For example, they use a variety of different approaches dependent upon the assessed needs of the young person. Staff and young people work together to develop strategies to help keep young people safe. Because of this, young people become safer. They make safer choices and risks reduce in all areas of their lives. Young people no longer go missing and they do not self-harm. Concerns regarding their alcohol and substance misuse reduce. The risk of sexual exploitation significantly decreases. A young person reflected, ‘I used to run off, I used to behave badly, now I don’t. I have a lot to be proud of.’ Another young person explained, ‘I used to think the staff moaned at me but now I get it… I am so glad that they helped me.’ A parent confirms this, stating, ‘She is good now.’

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Outstanding

Young people’s behaviour and relationships with each other have improved. Staff set clear and consistent boundaries. Staff help young people to complete safety plans which identify triggers that make them feel angry or upset and result in techniques that they can use when they should begin to feel like this. These safety plans also provide clear guidance for staff on how they should support young people. This method ensures that young people feel more secure than they previously did. A suitably qualified mental health professional oversees this work and helps staff to reflect on the strategies they employ. Staff welcome this opportunity and use it effectively to ensure that their practice is informed by a solid evidence base. This improves staff confidence and the quality of their work.

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Outstanding

A suitably qualified and experienced manager leads the staff team. He was registered in March 2015.

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Outstanding

The registered manager keeps young people at the heart of all he does. He is inspirational and ambitious for young people and ensures that this personal and professional ethos permeates across the entire staff team. The registered manager understands young people’s needs exceptionally well and constantly scrutinises their progress. His actions have a positive impact on the progress young people make and the support they receive. A social care professional told the inspector, ‘The home has improved so much under the registered manager. He is enthusiastic, passionate, and excellent. He always puts young people first, like they were his own.’ Senior managers in the organisation also take this approach. They have a clear focus on young people’s experiences and the progress they make. They are aspirational, have high standards for staff, and are committed to making improvements.

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Outstanding

Staff are very positive about the support they receive from the registered manager and the assistant manager. Supervision sessions are regular and of high quality. They help staff generate ideas and reflect on their practice. New staff are robustly vetted and are supported through a clear, effective induction process. This ensures that young people receive high quality care.

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Outstanding

The majority of staff hold the required level 3 diploma or equivalent. A small number are currently working to achieve this, and plans are in place to ensure that they complete this in the required timescales. Staff are also provided with a range of training that informs their practice. Consequently, highly skilled and effective staff support young people.

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Outstanding

Management oversight and monitoring processes are innovative and highly successful. For example, the registered manager has developed new monitoring tools. As a result, the registered manager understands exceptionally well the home’s strengths and weaknesses. He quickly and effectively addresses shortfalls and ensures that improvements are sustained. The statement of purpose accurately reflects the services offered by the home and is clear about the support offered to young people.

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Outstanding

The registered manager is central to planning the care for young people. To support this, he has developed excellent relationships with families and a wide range of agencies. A teacher stated, ‘The home is excellent. It is the best home we work with. Communication is excellent. It is very efficient and supports us really well.’ This ensures that young people receive consistent support. The registered manager actively challenges other professionals when this is required’. A psychologist added, ‘A tenacious approach… just like you would have for your own children.’ All of these attributes help young people to get the support they need, it improves their care, their experiences and their future.

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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 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, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for children looked after 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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