Children's home in Stockport

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has improved effectiveness .

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

In the three months since the last inspection, no children have been admitted to the home. However, the manager has improved the procedures for assessing a child’s suitability, learning lessons from previous admissions where inadequate information sharing had led to poor matching.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

One child has moved on to another children’s home. He had continued to cause significant damage to the home over a period of several months. It was clear that the child was not benefiting from this placement and was having a negative impact on other children in the home.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The transition was well managed, with the home supporting the child to move at his own pace. The manager has ensured that good information was handed over to the new staff team. The home contributed to a review of contact arrangements and risk assessments so that robust arrangements for the child’s care could be set up from the point of transfer. Initial feedback has been positive: the child appears to have made a successful transition and to be engaging fully in the routines of the new home and in education.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

An independent person monitors the operation of the home through a monthly visit. He appropriately captures children’s feelings and views in his reports, as well as those of parents and social workers. His reports provide leaders and managers with a good overview of safeguarding incidents in the home and include a summary of each restraint and a review of each missing incident. However, reports fall short of clearly setting out the independent person’s own opinion as to whether the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being and whether children are effectively safeguarded.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager values the independent person’s reports and addresses actions for improvement made following each visit, thereby improving the quality of care. However, some shortfalls have been raised several times and action taken to address these matters has not yet been fully effective. For example, delays in management monitoring of restraints and sanctions mean that the manager is not always up to date with sanctions imposed by staff and does not always review incidents in good time.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The independent person has raised concerns about the poor state of the premises resulting from repeated damage to property and standards of cleanliness not being maintained. Although the home has addressed these shortfalls, continuing damage and insufficient focus on cleanliness means that children continue to live in a home that is not well kept.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has suffered extensive damage cause by children who display high levels of anger and aggression. It quickly takes action to repair damage. For example, in recent weeks, roof tiles have been replaced, and a new dining table and chairs and new sofas have been ordered. Windows and televisions that have been smashed several times have been encased in Perspex to prevent further damage. Although communal areas are mostly kept clean and tidy, some paintwork is grubby and the utility room is poorly maintained. One child’s bedroom continues to be dirty and poorly kept.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has addressed this with the members of the staff team who are redoubling their efforts to support individual children by helping them to clean their bedrooms better. In view of the extent of the damage, the provider organised a review of the premises which took place during the inspection. A refurbishment programme is to commence shortly.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home works well with partner agencies to promote children’s education and learning. Children who arrived at the home with a history of poor engagement in education and/or no allocated education placement have made some slow but steady progress in their education. For example, one has engaged well in an alternative education package that includes three short days with a classroom assistant in a local library and two days with a workplace provider. However, attempts to reintegrate the child into school have been unsuccessful and his education provision is again under review. The home is working proactively with the virtual school and with head teachers to ensure this and that other children receive an education that suits their needs. One child has recently taken GCSEs and is now looking for a part-time job. Staff are appropriately encouraging and supporting him to put together a CV and apply for jobs.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager and assistant manager know the children well and continually promote their welfare and development. They provide good support and supervision to staff, who, in turn, support children well. The management team has taken steps to address all of the shortfalls raised in the last inspection. This is leading to improvements in the quality of care and is providing more positive experiences for children living at the home. For example, the manager has led team meetings that focus on understanding children’s emotional needs and how to build stronger and more influential bonds with children. There has been a concerted effort to give each child more positive, one-to-one time through activities and outings shared with staff. This is helping children to be more relaxed, less challenging and more ready to listen to staff and to follow guidance and instructions. Children value their time with staff and particularly enjoy trips out and

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

pamper nights. The two children currently in placement are engaging better with the staff team and although, as yet, they have only made small steps, there is good evidence that they are reducing the number of aggressive outbursts and the need for restraint, and are benefiting from a more settled household.

p.4

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has improved its safeguarding practice following the last inspection, and this helps to keep children at risk of child sexual exploitation safer. For example, staff do spot checks on mobile phones belonging to children whose safety is a concern. This has highlighted a child’s unsafe, risk-taking behaviour and by involving the police promptly, the child has been protected from grooming. Additionally, the child is offered frequent independent return interviews whenever he goes missing or absent from home. Although he is reluctant to engage with these, he has begun to engage in an assessment with a clinical psychologist, which is a very positive step for him.

p.4

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been a few occasions when the home has requested assistance from the police to manage children’s violent behaviour. The home has a good working relationship with the police and, in keeping with the home’s statement of purpose, in most instances children are not prosecuted for the criminal damage they cause. Instead, restorative justice is promoted.

p.4

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has established better and more effective communication with the local authority residential services manager. This is helping to address shortfalls in practice by local authority workers that have an impact on children’s progress. For example, where there are delays in arranging multi-agency strategy meetings to review children’s placements or safeguarding arrangements, this is reported directly to a senior manager within the local authority and consequently the matter is addressed. This means that delays in placement planning are reduced and children are better supported through partnership working.

p.4

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager is proactive in connecting with the wider support systems for each child, including specialist agencies which support missing children, the virtual school and specialist health services. She challenges other professionals to meet their obligations to children. For example, she has sought help for a child at high risk of criminality through a referral to the preventing offending panel and to the cared for children’s support services. Sadly, no service was provided until the child had been referred through the criminal justice system, which meant that he could not receive the help he needed until after he had a criminal record. The manager continues to seek therapeutic interventions for children who have experienced past trauma and are emotionally unstable.

p.4

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been a high number of incidents involving children being restrained as a result of assaults on staff and serious damage to property. All restraints have been necessary to prevent serious harm. Records are, for the most part, well documented and demonstrate staff attempts to defuse situations early on are often successful, and where they are not restraint is used appropriately and for the shortest possible time. One child alleged that he sustained a minor injury during a restraint and this was appropriately referred to the designated officer in the local authority and investigated. There were no concerns about the management of the restraint or about the staff’s actions.

p.4

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home’s arrangements for protecting children who are absent or missing are good. Staff maintain contact with children wherever possible and actively search for children in areas they frequent. The home also makes contact with their family and friends and works closely with the police until the child’s safe return. Children are welcomed back and staff speak to them about the reason they went missing. This is successful in promoting children’s health and welfare. For example, children have told staff when they have had unprotected sex or taken drugs or alcohol. This has helped staff to ensure that they get the support and treatment they need. Within 72 hours, an independent visitor attempts to conduct a return interview. This ensures that children have the opportunity to speak with someone independent of the home and to raise any concerns they might have about their care, although not all children will participate.

p.5

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has reviewed children’s individual risk assessments and keeps them under review. It considers the staffing levels required to keep children safe from bullying and safe from engaging in sexually harmful behaviour. The staff team plan each day carefully and have been successful in reducing the level of interaction between children who have a negative influence on each other. Since the last inspection, there have been no reported incidents of bullying. Two children who completed the Ofsted survey said that they feel safe in the home and bullying is not a concern.

p.5

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The arrangements for managers to provide support to the home through the on- call system have improved. Staff report that they are confident to ask for help and managers routinely offer to come out to the home in the event of a serious incident. To date there have been no incidents that have necessitated this.

p.5

Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is run by a charitable organisation in partnership with the local authority.

p.6

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.6

Recent inspection history

12 November 2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.6

Recent inspection history

6 June 2014 Interim Improved effectiveness

p.6

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 with the given timescales.

p.7

Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

p.7

Requirement Due date

6. (1) In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, with particular reference to the suitability and cleanliness of the accommodation in the home, the registered person must ensure that children receive care from staff who: (a) understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children (b) use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to: (vii) provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably (c) ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to: (i ) meet the needs of each child (ii) enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. 31 August

p.7

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Ensure that any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person makes a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. In particular the independent person must state their opinion as to whether children are effectively safeguarded and their welfare is promoted. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, para. 15.5)

p.7

Recommendations

 Ensure that the registered manager maintains a system which allows them to monitor the quality of care, regularly. In particular, ensure timely scrutiny of sanctions and behaviour management interventions. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, para. 15.2)

p.8

What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the ‘Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection’.

p.9

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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

p.9

Information about this inspection

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 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:. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.9

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,

p.10

Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.10

Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

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

p.10