Children's home run by Derby City Council in Derby

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:

 Children and young people currently living in the home are happy and settled. They make good progress in many areas of their lives.  Children and young people enjoy positive relationships with extremely committed and caring staff.  An established and experienced staff team provides good-quality care. They provide children and young people with structure and routine alongside high levels of praise and encouragement.  The manager and staff work closely and effectively with family members and other professionals. This helps to ensure that children and young people have bespoke packages of help and support to meet their individual needs.  The actions of staff keep children and young people as safe as possible. Incidents of risky behaviour reduce.  An enthusiastic and aspirational manager motivates the staff team. Staff feel very well supported and valued. They share the manager’s vision to significantly improve the lives of children and young people.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 This inspection identifies some shortfalls and some areas for improvement. These are in relation to accessibility in the home, documentary and recording issues, improving consultation feedback to children and young people, and challenging the placing authority when missing from home or absent without authority return interviews are not conducted. These matters are not currently having an impact on the safety and well-being of children and young people.

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person(s) meets 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 person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that children can access all appropriate areas of the children's home's premises, with particular reference to children being able to access their own bedrooms without having to ask staff to open their doors (Regulation 21 (b)). 27 July 2016

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that each child's case records include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3, and that they are kept up to date (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)). 27 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:  Children should be able to see the results of their views being listened to and acted upon, with particular reference to the minutes of house meetings, including feedback regarding young people's views and suggestions during these meetings ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 22, paragraph 4.11).  Ensure that every effort is made so that the responsible local authority provides an opportunity for a child to have a return interview after they have been missing from care or away from the home without permission. The home should take account of the information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 45, paragraph

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Recommendations

9.30).  The registered manager should have a workforce plan which is updated to include any new training and qualifications completed by staff while working at the home, and should be used to record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of the staff ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 53, paragraph 10.8).

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Information about this children's home

This home is registered for six children and young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is owned and managed by the local authority.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

30 September 2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

3 December 2014 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Good

Children and young people are happy and settled. They speak positively about their experiences of living in the home and the progress that they make. A young person said, ‘I feel my life is improving here. I feel happier, I now go to school every day, I have made some friends and I get to do nice things like going to planet bounce, skating and going to the cinema.’ Professionals also speak positively about young people’s progress and experiences. An independent reviewing officer commented, ‘This young person has thrived. He has progressed educationally, but the biggest change is in his emotional and social development. His self-esteem and confidence has really developed.’ A key strength of the home is the positive relationships that children and young people have with a consistent and very caring staff team. One young person said, ‘The staff are really nice and they really care. They are good at listening and

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Good

helping.’ Another young person described them as ‘cool’ and commended them for the amount of time that they spend with her. Staff members know children and young people very well and have good insight into their individual needs. An independent reviewing officer said in respect of the staff, ‘They are sensitive and understanding of specific needs and they are consistent. They stick by young people who have experienced significant instability and we are now seeing the benefits as they are now progressing well.’ Children and young people are encouraged to be healthy and take regular exercise. A looked after children’s nurse visits each month to provide advice on all aspects of health. Staff also meet children’s and young people’s specific, and sometimes complex, health needs to a good standard. For one young person with a complex health need, staff have received expert guidance on how to best support them. Other children and young people with emotional health needs

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Good

receive specialist support from services, such as the child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS), and specialist drug and alcohol service, without delay. As a result, children and young people are physically and emotionally healthier. Transitions for children and young people moving into the home are well managed, whether they are planned or unplanned. A young person recently admitted on a planned basis said, ‘Before I came I visited and thought it was nice. I got the biggest room and got to decorate it just how I wanted it.’ A young person recently admitted on an emergency basis commented, ‘When I arrived I was scared, but the staff and other young people made me feel really welcome. They made me coffee and I was given the young people’s guide, which I found helpful.’ Good preparation and/or a warm welcome helps to ensure that children and young people have the best opportunity to successfully settle into the home.

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Good

Staff support older young people to develop emotional resilience as well as practical life skills in preparation for adulthood. Since the last inspection, a number of young people have successfully moved into their own accommodation. One young person currently undertaking a programme of independence work spoke confidently. She said, ‘I have learned to look after myself. I can now do things like cook, budget, wash and clean. I go to college and am getting ready to live on my own.’ As a consequence of the skills acquired while living in the home, transitions are smoother and young people have a better chance of success in adult life. The manager and staff understand how important it is for children and young people to maintain links with their families. They work closely with children and young people, and their parents and relatives were appropriate, to rebuild and improve relationships. A young person said, ‘I am getting to see loads more of my

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Good

family now and that is really good.’ Improved family relationships help children and young people to develop a more positive sense of identity. They also provide an opportunity for them to have an improved family support network in the longer term. Staff respect and value children and young people. Children and young people know how to complain. They are involved in their own placement planning and they contribute to the day-to-day running of the home. Good consultation is empowering and helps to raise children’s and young people’s confidence and self- esteem. Practice could be improved further by the outcomes of children’s and young people’s suggestions, and how they have been acted upon, being recorded and confirmed in house meeting minutes. Children and young people, along with the staff team and the manager, have recently moved into this home while their previous home is renovated. Because of the great efforts made by staff, children and young people, the home presents as

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Good

welcoming and comfortable. Children and young people have chosen decor and furniture for the home and they are pleased with the outcome. However, due to them not currently having keys to their own bedrooms, they are unable to access their own space without asking a member of staff to open their bedroom doors. Consequently, their access is limited and this provides a less than homely feel.

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Good

Children and young people feel safe because of the actions, care and support provided by staff. A young person explained, ‘It is safe here because staff make it safe. They monitor what we do, who is coming in and out of the house, and they always phone us when we are out to make sure we are safe. It is a good thing and shows that staff care.’ Positive relationships and predictable care provided by staff provides children and young people with a good sense of safety and well-being. A zero tolerance approach to bullying is effective. With the assistance of staff, children and young people have devised their own bullying policy. This, as well as work undertaken about tolerance and respecting difference, has helped to eradicate any bullying occurring. A young person said, ‘It feels safe here because we all get on so well.’ Children and young people are currently living together harmoniously in a settled and happy environment. This provides them with an

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Good

improved sense of safety. Multi-agency packages of help and support are effective. Regular network meetings ensure that children and young people receive the help and support that they need. In respect of one young person, a social worker said, ‘The multi-agency approach between myself, the staff, CAMHS and ‘safe and sound’ [specialist organisation that supports children and young people at risk of child sexual exploitation] has ensured that the young person has the right support to reduce her risky behaviours. She has calmed; self-harm has stopped. Incidents of missing and causing damage have reduced. She has more control over her emotions due to the help and support she has received.’ Although there have been high numbers of incidents of children and young people going missing or spending time away from the home unauthorised, in recent months incidents have dramatically reduced. Staff are very knowledgeable about

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Good

the risks associated with children and young people going missing and about the risks of child sexual exploitation. In order to reduce risk, the home’s child exploitation champion uses a monitoring tool to measure behaviours which could alert staff that child sexual exploitation risks are emerging. This then informs individual missing from home protocols, so that targeted help and support can be provided. This has helped to reduce risk. In respect of one young person, a social worker said, ‘Staff have done a lot of work around personal safety and the risk she was putting herself at. She has gone from being assessed as [at] high risk of child sexual exploitation to low risk. Incidents of [going] missing have significantly reduced.’ However, independent return interviews organised by the local authority are not always carried out, and when they are, the outcomes are not always shared with the home. Managers and staff need to more robustly challenge the

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Good

placing authority in respect of this. These independent interviews provide an additional opportunity to engage with children and young people and gather information to reduce risk further. The positive relationships that children and young people have with staff, consistent care and rewards and incentive schemes impact positively on children’s and young people’s behaviours. An independent reviewing officer said, ‘This young person has been provided with very clear boundaries, which have facilitated improvements in behaviour.’ A young person commented, ‘The staff are very fair and I know where I stand. They praise me when I do things well and we earn rewards for positive behaviour.’ Despite some children and young people displaying challenging behaviours at times and causing damage to the home, recourse to police involvement is rare and physical intervention is infrequent. This is a testament to the skills of staff in de-escalating and reducing challenging behaviour.

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Good

On the five occasions where physical intervention has been necessary, debriefings with children, young people and staff have followed. This provides the opportunity for reflection to inform and improve future practice.

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Good

A highly experienced and suitably qualified manager is in the process of re- registering with Ofsted, following the recent move into this home. She is enthusiastic and ambitious for children and young people. She has high expectations of her staff and is a good motivator. Morale in the home is high, staff feel valued and they share the manager’s commitment to improving children’s and young people’s lives. A member of staff said, ‘I am proud to work here. We are very well supported by the manager. A key strength is that everyone wants the best outcomes for the children and young people and staff work together to achieve this.’ The staff team is established and experienced. All are suitably qualified in line with the requirements of the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015. They also participate in a range of training, which helps to equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge to meet children’s and young people’s needs. However,

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Good

although it was established during the inspection that all staff have completed mandatory training, records of this require updating. Improved recording and monitoring of the training undertaken is likely to reduce the risk of staff training or qualifications going out of date. Staff receive regular formal supervision. This, as well as attending weekly team meetings, gives them the opportunity to reflect on the needs of children and young people, any significant incidents, and on their own practice. Not only does this ensure that practice is monitored, it also provides scope for staff development and improvements in the delivery of care. Good partnership working between the manager and staff, parents and other professionals helps to ensure consistency of care. A social worker said, ‘I have a really good working relationship with staff. They keep me fully informed.’ A family member was also extremely impressed. She said, ‘I continue to have a big input

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Good

into my granddaughter’s life and work closely with the staff. They listen to me and are like an extended family. We really do work in close partnership.’ The home’s statement of purpose is fully up to date and provides clear and accurate information about the care, support and services that the home offers. Young people are also provided with a guide and a DVD so that they know what to expect when they come to live in the home. Monitoring systems are sound. Data and information are incorporated into monthly progress and outcome reports. These enable leaders and managers to monitor progress and demonstrate what difference living in the home is making to children’s and young people’s lives. Through this system, and through feedback provided by children, young people, staff, family members and professionals, the manager explores ways in which she can continue to develop the service and ultimately improve outcomes further for children and young people.

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Good

Children’s and young people’s case files do not hold all of the information required by the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015. In one file, essential information is out of date, in another the home’s placement plan was not up to date, and in some, local authority plans were missing. As a result, records are incomplete. Although there is no evidence that this is impacting on the welfare and safety of children and young people at this time, missing documents and incomplete or out-of-date records and plans have the potential to impair the quality and consistency of care if not rectified.

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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

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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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