Children's home run by Total Care Matters Limited in Nottingham

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:

 From their starting points, children and young people make outstanding progress in all aspects of their lives.  Children and young people who have previously experienced high levels of instability and frequent placement breakdowns present as very happy and settled. They enjoy extremely positive relationships with a core group of nurturing and committed staff who provide them with high levels of praise and encouragement, alongside structure, routine and consistent boundaries.  Staff protect children and young people extremely well. They consistently implement comprehensive risk and behaviour management plans that keep children and young people as safe as possible.  Comprehensive and individualised programmes of independence work undertaken with older young people provide them with the best opportunities to successfully transition into adulthood.  A multi-disciplinary approach to the care of each child or young person is

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

highly effective. Extremely well established partnership working between the manager and staff, placing authorities, schools, family members and external agencies ensure that each child or young person has a bespoke care plan and package of support that meets their needs to a high standard.  Children and young people feel respected and valued. Their views fully contribute to the running and design of the home. They are also fully involved in the preparation and review of their own placement and behaviour management plans.  An aspirational and enthusiastic manager motivates and drives her staff team. Together, they continually strive to make ongoing improvements to the lives of children and young people.

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Information about this children's home

This home is owned by a private provider. It may provide care and accommodation for up to three children and young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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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

19 March 2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Outstanding

From their starting points, children and young people make outstanding progress and enjoy very positive experiences. A young person reflected: ‘I look back and think that I have had a really good three years here. It has made a huge difference to my life and I am now looking forward to a happy future.’ Feedback from professionals regarding children’s and young people’s experience and progress is also extremely positive. A social worker commented: ‘I am really impressed with this service. Without the help and support of the staff, this young person would not have made the excellent progress she has. She is now thriving and her life chances have significantly improved.’

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Outstanding

The lives of children and young people with chaotic histories and who have experienced multiple placement breakdowns stabilise. Placements endure and children and young people develop extremely positive relationships with staff, who know them very well. Children and young people learn how to trust adults as a result of the emotionally warm and consistent care that staff provide. A therapist said: ‘This is the most stable placement this child has had. The staff have provided unconditional support and she now has key adults that she can trust who provide her with the stability that she needs. As a result, she is now coping so much better with external difficulties and she is now ready to move on to the next stage of therapy.’

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Outstanding

Children and young people make excellent educational progress. A young person said: ‘I have gone from not going to school at all to going every day.’ A professional from his school summed up his progress by saying: ‘From his starting point his progress is massive. This is in terms of his attendance, engagement and academically. He is doing as well as he possibly could.’ Another young person has recently completed her GCSE examinations and has plans to go to college. As a consequence of their achievements educationally, children and young people develop aspirations for the future and their opportunities and choices in adulthood are greatly improved.

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Outstanding

Staff support children and young people extremely well to become healthier, both physically and emotionally. Lots of physical activity is promoted alongside healthy eating. For one young person with particularly complex emotional difficulties, staff have undertaken specialist training to develop their understanding and skills in meeting her complex needs. The excellent links that the manager and staff have with partner agencies also ensure that if a specific emotional or physical health need emerges, direct specialist support, for example from drug and alcohol services or from the child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS), are promptly accessed. As a result, children’s and young people’s health needs continue to be met to a high standard.

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Outstanding

Children and young people receive an exceptional level of support to help them move on to the next stage of their lives, whether that be a return home, a move into foster care or the transition to adulthood and independence. In respect of one young person, an independent reviewing officer said: ‘Because of the help and support and progress made, this young person is now ready for a transition into foster care.’ In respect of an older young person, a social worker was extremely impressed with the programme of independence work offered. She said: ‘It is unreal. It is individualised, realistic and really well thought out. I wish other homes would come out and visit and learn from this home.’ Such individualised and comprehensive independence programmes help older young people develop emotional resilience as well as practical life skills in preparation for their move into adulthood.

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Outstanding

Because staff are aspirational and encourage children and young people to pursue their dreams and talents, their confidence and self-esteem grows significantly. One child has become a member of a football team and drama group and another has successfully acquired a part-time job. This young person said: ‘Living here has made me so much more confident, I believe in myself more, and have now got a part-time job.’ Children and young people start to realise their potential, they learn to feel proud of their achievement and start to feel good about themselves.

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Outstanding

Children and young people are fully respected and valued. Their views are continually sought in respect of the day-to-day running of the home. Significant improvements made to the home environment are as a direct result of the input and guidance of children and young people. Children and young people are also fully involved in the preparation and review of their placement and behaviour management plans. A young person said: ‘I have a big say in what happens. We agree my targets and then the staff help me to achieve them.’ As a result of this, children and young people are more motivated to work towards goals which they have identified and wish to achieve. It provides them with a sense of control over their lives and helps further raise their confidence and self-esteem.

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Outstanding

Young people say that they feel safe and they are so much safer living in this home. A young person said: ‘Here is a very safe place to live. It just feels safe. There is always someone here that I trust and who I can talk to.’ The emotionally safe environment, created through the extremely positive relationships children have with staff, alongside very consistent care, provides children and young people with a strong sense of safety and well-being.

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Outstanding

The home is a very settled, happy and calm environment. There is no bullying. Individual work and group discussions in respect of peer relationships are very effective. Children and young people develop respect and tolerance for one another. This, as well as good staffing levels, ensures that children and young people can live together harmoniously. A young person said: ‘Everything here is good. We all get on well, it is kind of like a family really.’ This provides children and young people with an improved sense of safety.

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Outstanding

Staff at all levels have an excellent understanding of the home’s safeguarding policies and procedures and implement them to provide children and young people with high levels of safety. A social worker commented: ‘Safeguarding practice is outstanding. The manager really champions children’s and young people’s safety.’ The manager and staff understand individual risks posed to each child or young person. They are vigilant to any signs of potential abuse and promptly report and act upon them if and when identified. For example, on one occasion, as a direct result of the vigilance of staff and their prompt reporting of a potential concern about the conduct of an external professional, safeguarding procedures within that professional’s organisation were amended to improve their safeguarding practices.

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Outstanding

Children and young people are helped and protected as a result of comprehensive multi-agency packages of help and support being provided to address individual difficulties and vulnerabilities. For example, one child’s package of support includes direct key work from staff, early intervention work from the youth offending team and support for the whole staff team from CAMHS to enable them to support the child therapeutically. A social worker said: ‘The staff complete lots of work to reduce risk and get external agencies in without delay.’ As a result of such co- ordinated approaches, incidents of risky behaviours such as violence and aggression, self-harm, substance misuse and going missing significantly reduce and in some cases, stop.

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Outstanding

Despite some children and young people having a history of going missing and having been assessed as being at risk of sexual exploitation, incidents of going missing are rare. On the three occasions since the last full inspection when a child or young person went missing, staff followed individual protocols and they were promptly located and welcomed back home. The positive relationships that children and young people have with staff, staff’s understanding of individual risks and triggers, strong relationships with the police, as well as some excellent work undertaken in relation to personal safety, including internet risks, have been extremely effective in reducing the risk of children and young people going missing. Children’s and young people’s behaviour is exceptionally well managed. Positive relationships, clear and consistent boundaries, proactive strategies and incentive schemes are effective. These, along with a restorative approach, help children and

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Outstanding

young people to reflect on their behaviours and the impact they have on themselves and others. A young person said: ‘When I came here I was kicking off every day, but now I do not kick off at all. I have become calmer and I feel so much happier as a result.’ Children and young people develop empathy and learn to behave in more socially acceptable ways.

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Outstanding

Physical interventions are only used as a very last resort. After every incident, debriefs for staff, children and young people follow. The manager analyses all incidents in consultation with other professionals involved. By closely monitoring and reflecting on all incidents, patterns and trends have been identified, resulting in changes being made to behaviour support plans. As a result of such excellent monitoring and analysis, practice in this area remains of a high standard and incidents of physical interventions have started to significantly reduce.

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Outstanding

The registered manager is suitably qualified and experienced. She is extremely organised, aspirational and ambitious for children and young people. She demands high standards from her staff, she leads by example and is held in high regard by both her staff team and external professionals. A social worker said: ‘The manager is fantastic. She has taken charge and is a massive advocate for her children and young people.’ The manager motivates her staff, who share her vision to improve children’s and young people’s lives. Morale within the home is excellent and a cohesive staff team, who feel highly valued, ensure that children and young people are extremely well supported.

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Outstanding

The manager’s knowledge and insight into the complex issues and emerging risks which effect children and young people living in residential care is excellent. By networking with other professionals and regularly attending multi-agency concerns meetings, she keeps fully informed of any local intelligence or issues which could affect children and young people living in the home. As a result of her networking, the manager has also built up strong relationships with partner agencies who can provide direct help and support to children and young people. She has also acquired a wealth of quality resources and tools which staff use to help and support children and young people in different aspects of their lives. Professionals spoken to during the inspection unanimously described how exceptional the levels of communication and partnership working are. A social worker summed up their views by saying: ‘Communication is incredible. The

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Outstanding

manager and staff keep me fully informed of everything that is happening. The partnership is second to none.’ Excellent partnership working ensures that high standards of care are consistently maintained and that children and young people receive the correct help and support without delay.

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Outstanding

Staff are well trained. All are on target to complete the required professional qualifications within the timescales stipulated in the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015. In addition to mandatory training, staff also receive training in respect of issues that affect the children and young people they are caring for. For example, in relation to attachment and trauma, self-harm, drugs and alcohol, theraplay and child sexual exploitation. As a result, staff are well equipped to meet the individual needs of children and young people currently living in the home.

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Outstanding

Staff attend regular team meetings where they discuss individual children and young people, practice issues, strengths and weaknesses and policies and procedures which underpin safe practice. Staff also receive regular high quality supervision, which gives them the opportunity to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children and young people they are caring for. Productive team meetings and high quality supervision ensures that practice is monitored and that it provides scope for ongoing improvements in the delivery of care.

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Outstanding

The home’s statement of purpose is up to date and provides clear and accurate information to parents and placing authorities about the care, support and services the home offers. Young people are also provided with a guide so that they know what to expect when they come to live in the home. This is due to be updated, with the help and support of children and young people, to give a more child- focused view of exiting residents’ experiences of living in the home.

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Outstanding

Managers and leaders effectively monitor the progress that children and young people make. Data collected on a daily basis in respect of all aspects of children’s and young people’s lives enables the manager to analyse patterns and trends in behaviours and progress against individual targets. It also ensures that placement, risk management and behaviour support plans remain relevant and up to date. Through this monitoring system, the manager is able to clearly demonstrate what impact living in the home is having on children’s and young people’s lives.

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Outstanding

Quality assurance systems are robust. Internal and external quality assurance reports highlight the home’s strengths as well as minor developmental points. This, as well as clear development plans, formulated with the assistance of feedback from children and young people, staff, and other professionals, is indicative of a service committed to improving the lives of children and young people and providing them with an outstanding service.

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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, 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

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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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