Children's home in Preston

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:

 Young people feel safe in the home, as the staff have a good understanding of their individual needs and implement the home’s policies and routines.  Young people have made good progress since their admission to the home, in particular engaging in education, increasing their confidence and self- esteem, and decreasing their challenging behaviour.  The staff support young people with contact with their families, in line with their care plans.  The acting manager is proactive in his approach to safeguarding young people. He identifies potential safeguarding concerns and takes robust action to keep young people safe. He is child centred in his approach and has strong aspirations for the young people.  The manager works positively with placing authorities and professionals within the organisation to enable young people to have a holistic care package, in line with their individual plans.  Staff provide an environment where young people can express themselves,

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The children's home provision is good because:

and explore and develop their awareness of diversity and equality.

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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 ‘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 provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if there is no registered manager in respect of the home; (Regulation 27(1)(a).) 31 July 2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The requirements are that the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform; (Regulation 32(1)(3)(b).) 31 July 2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Emergency admissions should not be taken unless the home’s Statement of Purpose and its capacity and support systems mean that it has the capability to support and care for children admitted at very short notice while continuing to offer high quality care to children already living in the home. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.6.)

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Recommendations

 The registered person is responsible for ensuring that all staff consistently follow the home’s policies and procedures for the benefit of the children in the home’s care. Everyone working at the home should understand their roles and responsibilities.

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Recommendations

This is with particular regard to agency staff. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.20.)

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Information about this children's home

This privately run children’s home can accommodate up to four young people with emotional or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

4 March 2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.5

Good

A focused and enthusiastic team of staff have good knowledge of the young people’s vulnerabilities and needs cares for young people. The young people enjoy good relationships and interact positively with the staff and managers, who are warm and supportive of them.

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Good

The young people participate in the running of the home. They understand and feel part of the home. They are able to chair weekly house meetings, when they discuss what has been happening, receive praise for their achievements and are involved in planning the week ahead.

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Good

Young people are being prepared to move, with the staff team, in a planned manner, to another registered children’s home managed by the same organisation. The acting manager has involved the young people in the move, and they have visited the home and chosen their bedrooms, and has proactively involved placing authorities. One professional commented, ‘(name) will also benefit from the consistency of key workers… who will be transferring over with her.’ As a result, young people will experience stability, because they already have good relationships with the staff who are moving to the home with them.

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Good

Young people currently living in the home make good progress with their educational attendance and achievement. One young person who had minimal attendance prior to admission now accesses and engages in a full-time education package. This is because the staff work in conjunction with the local authority school to meet individual needs, and they design tailored individual timetables. Incidents within education placements have decreased, as young people’s needs are well assessed. Staff support young people in their education.

p.6

Good

Young people are encouraged and supported to eat healthily and in line with their cultural preferences. The placing authorities, education professionals and the manager meet to identify target areas of improvement for young people. The organisation’s contracted psychology team monitors and reviews individual targets through a robust monitoring system to chart progress. As a result, young people make good progress in all areas of their health and are cared for by staff who understand their needs.

p.6

Good

The staff provide effective and clear structures for young people. They are successful in making these meaningful, because they have good knowledge of individual personalities and preferences. They understand and respect how young people’s challenges and experiences have impacted on them. This knowledge and the positive relationships are the key to managing behaviour. The staff promote a positive, proactive and respectful culture of care. As a result, young people listen to staff, make positive choices and have made positive progress in other areas of their lives. Examples include improved sleep patterns, self-care and family relationships, and fewer aggressive outbursts.

p.6

Good

The young people are consistently stimulated at the home. The staff support them to try different opportunities and continue to expand on existing skills, such as swimming and diving. Young people’s self-esteem increases, because they are celebrated as individuals, and supported, encouraged and praised throughout their day.

p.7

Good

Detailed care planning, risk management procedures and behaviour management plans are generally in place. They give clarity about how staff are to support young people and reflect the positive staff practice. On one occasion, a new referral was not managed well, and the young person had a significant impact on the other young people living in the home. However, this was addressed quickly by the organisation and the young person was moved to a more suitable environment. There is sufficient assessment and review of plans. All professionals and parents, when appropriate, are involved as a key part of this process.

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Good

The young people benefit from building and maintaining relationships with people who are important to them. The staff support regular contact with families and significant others. One parent said: ‘Staff come along on home visits and offer help and support. They’re like my friends.’ As a result, some young people’s relationships with their families have improved.

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Good

Young people make progress in cooking meals, domestic skills and safe care skills. They continue to develop these skills in line with their age and ability, and carry them into adulthood. This provides them with an increased level of independence.

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Good

The home is located, designed, and of a size and layout to meet the needs of all the young people placed there. It is well maintained and has an adequate standard of decor. Young people and staff have made it into a comfortable environment. Young people are proud of their individual rooms, which are well personalised and of a good size. They have a good outdoor space where they can spend time with the staff.

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Good

The staff team takes its responsibility for keeping young people safe seriously. The safety and well-being of young people is at the centre of its practice. Young people report that they feel safe and can talk to an adult when they have concerns. The staff are well informed of policies and procedures through induction and training. They know how to safeguard young people and the procedures to follow, in partnership with other agencies. On occasion, when there have been allegations or concerns regarding staff practice, the management has been proactive and worked with the local authority designated officer to investigate the concerns thoroughly. The manager is reflective in practice and takes action to prevent any recurrence, where shortfalls are identified. This means that young people are consistently and effectively protected.

p.7

Good

Staff have a thorough understanding of the home’s approach to caring for young people and they implement this approach. The quality of relationships between staff and young people is positive and reinforces the caring atmosphere throughout the home. The young people are motivated by the praise and rewards that they receive for positive behaviour and achievement, and value them. Staff reinforce positive behaviour, and they base the measures of control on restorative work such as writing a letter of apology. Young people understand and accept the rules and incentives in place to support their behaviour.

p.8

Good

The staff take time to understand the background of each young person. They have a good knowledge of how previous experiences impact upon and influence current behaviours. Detailed strategies and meetings with the staff team assist all who care for young people to understand this impact, and how staff can support young people. As a result, challenging behaviour such as going missing from care, aggression to staff and verbal abuse significantly decreases. This supports young people to develop self-esteem, self-belief and respect for others.

p.8

Good

Young people do not currently go missing. This is because the staffing levels ensure that all young people are supervised, kept safe and receive appropriate support. When previously there have been concerns, staff were proactive in their response. They implemented the home’s missing policy and worked closely with external agencies to enable a quick return. On their return, young people are consistently offered an independent interview to discuss their reasons for going missing. On occasion, when the manager has continued concerns regarding keeping young people safe, he has been proactive in arranging meetings with external agencies to ensure that the episodes do not continue or escalate.

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Good

Young people are protected by sound recruitment processes that ensure that staff are carefully selected and checked, to prevent unsuitable people working in the home. The measures to recruit agency staff do not follow a similar process and, as a result, are not as robust. While there are no safeguarding concerns around this, it is an area that requires improvement.

p.8

Good

The environment is physically safe. Fire safety training and regular checks to the fire systems mean that due care is taken to ensure that everyone is safe. Young people are involved in fire drills and are aware of what to do in the case of a fire. Young people have individual risk assessments. Staff regularly assess risks and take actions to limit these risks.

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Requires improvement

The registered manager has been in post since January 2014. She has the relevant qualifications and experience to lead the staff group and to manage the home. An experienced and qualified deputy manager supports her in her role. Neither the registered manager nor the deputy manager are currently working in the home, and a manager has been appointed for the interim period. He is a very experienced deputy manager from within the organisation, and has a diploma in leadership and management in residential childcare. The organisation is aware that this is a short- term measure. Should the registered manager continue to be away from the home, any interim manager will need to be registered with Ofsted to continue managing the home.

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Requires improvement

The manager provides the home with strong and effective leadership. He ensures that the home is providing young people with a child-centred environment, with good levels of care and support in line with the statement of purpose. During the inspection, the nurturing, respectful and careful interaction between the staff and the young people was noted. This is because there are clear policies and procedures, effective organisation of staff, and consistent implementation of behaviour and safeguarding strategies.

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Requires improvement

All members of staff spoken with gave positive comments about the current and the registered manager’s supportive leadership of the service. They receive regular and effective supervision, and all mandatory training is completed in line with the organisation’s requirements. The staff feel that the training provided is of a good quality, and has enabled them to put their skills and knowledge into practice. They attend regular staff meetings that provide a forum for them to share good practice and develop strategies to meet the needs of the young people.

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Requires improvement

The statement of purpose describes in detail the ethos and aims of the setting. A children’s guide to the service suitably summarises these aims for the young people. This ensures that young people, parents and placing social workers are clear about the purpose and goals of the home. The manager is committed to ensuring that the ethos of the statement of purpose is embedded into day-to-day work with young people.

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Requires improvement

The manager’s communication processes are strong and effective. The close working relationships between the local authority schools and placing authorities are effective in supporting young people and developing their placements. A social worker said, ‘This is (name)’s first experience of residential care and the manager has been very successful in supporting her with behaviours that foster care has been unable to manage effectively. (Name) has responded well to this transition and has repeatedly stated that she enjoys life at [Home] se and wishes to remain here.’ The staff liaise with outside agencies in accordance with the young people’s needs. Another professional said: ‘They update me on a regular basis and are working well with the school.’ These processes contribute to the good outcomes for young people, and demonstrate that all staff are consistently concerned with their welfare and progress.

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Requires improvement

External monthly monitoring visits highlight areas for improvement. The manager completes monitoring reports quarterly and the organisation has an effective system to monitor young people’s progress since their placement started. The evaluation and reflection on the quality of care described in these reports demonstrates a service that is looking for ways to improve. In addition, there is a comprehensive development plan in place. All of the monitoring systems work together effectively to identify areas for development and improvement.

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Requires improvement

The manager provides good management and clear reporting of significant incidents. The necessary professionals and agencies are notified, and records demonstrate that clear actions are taken and that there is reflective learning from incidents.

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Requires improvement

The manager ensures that the staffing levels are generally good. However, on occasion, agency staff have been used to cover a waking night shift while regular staff did a sleep-in shift at the home. While the impact on young people is minimal, the agency members had no experience of looking after vulnerable young people. They lacked basic qualifications, for example safeguarding, and were unknown to young people and staff. There was no confirmation that agency staff had been inducted into the home or shown, for example, the risk assessment of the young people. Staffing rotas had not been planned to cover the extra shifts that were required at short notice. Therefore, staffing levels and suitable induction arrangements did not meet the needs of the young people and did not respond flexibly to unexpected events.

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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’. 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

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What the inspection judgements mean

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 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 ‘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 0300 123 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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