Children's home run by Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council

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:

 The management team has, over a number of years, established a very strong ethos of prioritising the needs of children and young people and of seeking to continually develop practice to achieve that aim.  Considerable effort is made to ensure that each shift is consistent in their approach to meet children’s and young people’s individual specific needs and enable them to make significant progress.  Staff work extremely well to meet the objectives set out in the statement of purpose document and there are clear methods and processes in place for them to do so.  Children and young people develop trust and have positive and nurturing relationships with staff and they are generally very well behaved and if not, staff help them to learn from mistakes and modify their behaviour.  Parents and carers are encouraged to support their children and young people while they are staying at the home. They are fully involved in all aspects of their

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

child’s health, education and care needs. They feel part of the home and work very well with the staff team, who involve them in agreements and decisions made about their child.  From early childhood, through adolescence and into adulthood, staff have been involved in children’s and young people’s lives. Staff know them and their families extremely well. Staff are skilled and use individual communication methods to involve children and young people and seek their views.  The home provides children and young people with an enjoyable physical living environment, rich in resources and facilities, where they feel safe and secure.  Staff understand the risks for children and young people with complex needs extremely well. Staff are not risk averse so children and young people are able to engage fully in a wide range of meaningful and stimulating activities and enjoy holidays with staff.  Staff are qualified, well supported and highly motivated to meet the individual

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

needs of the children and young people in their care. They demonstrate a thorough knowledge of children’s and young people’s placement plans and are effective at implementing these in practice.  The management team demonstrates exceptional leadership and is overseen by the registered manager. She is a positive role model for best practice and care of children and young people, putting them at the centre of practice.

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Information about this children's home

 The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for six children with physical disabilities and learning disabilities.  The home is managed by a local authority.  Full-time care and shared care arrangements are offered within the home. Dependant on individual assessed needs, specialised equipment is available for children to meet their individual needs as written in the home's statement of purpose document.  The staff team has expertise through training in specialist areas such as child protection, gastrostomy feeding, administration of emergency seizure medication and hoisting, in order to provide the best care for the children as outlined in the home's statement of purpose document.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

16 February 2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

30 March 2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Outstanding

The home has an excellent track record and this has developed over a considerable number of years to achieve significant outcomes and support for the children and young people to make excellent progress. From 2007, outstanding judgements have been made by Ofsted during each full inspection with consistent practices being maintained at interim inspections. As a result, children and young people make exceptional progress in the home whether they have experienced short periods of shared care or if they live in the home. The management team has over the years adapted tools to measure children’s and young people’s outcomes and developed and strengthened relationships with professional agencies that provide the necessary support. Children and young people make excellent progress from their starting points in the home. This is clearly evident in their progress sheets, care plans and memory books. External professionals and parents are extremely complimentary about the services that the

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Outstanding

home provides to children and young people. Social workers know the home well and have confidence in the staff who provide the services to their children and young people placed. Collectively, they are very positive about the work that staff carry out and the achievements that children and young people make. One social worker says, ‘Many children and young people have successfully been cared for and transitioned with the support of the dedicated staff team and I think this home is an asset of the community and local authority.’ Equally, professionals say that the support that staff provide to families or carers is commendable. Another social worker says, ‘This home stepped in when a family was in crisis. They provided a much needed resource, which has decreased stress and anxieties and brought the family and young person closer together.’ Parents and carers commented, ‘I feel like I have my life back and know he is being cared

p.5

Outstanding

for very well’, ‘they (staff) make everything just like home and he really likes it here’ and ‘I am happy with the service my child receives from the carers and any communication between the carers and me is fine.’ Children and young people enjoy fun and constructive relationships with staff. They are confident and trusting that staff will meet their needs. Staff spend time with them daily. Staff listen carefully to what children and young people are saying using innovative methods to communicate, such as picture exchange communication or technology systems to express their need or choice. Staff respond positively to what children and young people are saying and do so in a calming manner, knowing their traits, body language and expressions. This reduces any anxieties and enables children and young people in their day-to-day routines. Children and young people benefit from the care of dedicated staff who are

p.5

Outstanding

experienced and skilled in areas such as autistic spectrum conditions, epilepsy and gastric peg tube feeding. The home works in partnership with parents, carers and professionals to ensure that the health, social and psychological development of children and young people is progressed and that this is achieved to a high standard. Staff are thorough in following the robust medication procedures. They ensure that children and young people only receive the medication as prescribed for them. Conditions, such as epilepsy, are extremely well understood and managed. Children and young people make progress in education. Staff work in close partnership with teachers or college tutors and share ideas about what works best to help children and young people to learn. Staff react quickly when there are problems at school or college, which helps children and young people to overcome any barriers to learning. A tutor says, ‘The relationship between college and home

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Outstanding

has been very good throughout this academic year. We always receive information regarding the young person either by telephone or written in the young person’s diary. Staff accompanied the young person and their mum to his progression evening and were very interested in what he was learning and enthusiastic about his personal targets and his overall progression.’ Equality and diversity are celebrated. The dignity, sensitivity and respect afforded to the children and young people is exceptional. Staff encourage children and young people to express their own character, their disability or difficulty is not seen as a barrier and their participation is evident. Children and young people mix with their peers in this home and with children and young people from other communities as they participate in well-organised activities. Photographs displayed throughout the home and in young people’s memory books show their participation

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Outstanding

and enjoyment in celebrating cultural festivities, activities and holidays. Children and young people have access to age-appropriate toys, books and computers. There is a sensory room facility in the home. The rear garden is very well presented, safe and secure, where children and young people can relax, play and have fun. Staff manage young people’s transitions to new placements extremely well. Young people coming of adult age do not drift in the home. There are clear arrangements and plans in place involving young people’s parents and carers. This ensures that young people’s next placement is fully supported to meet their needs, whether this is a return to the family home, with a support package in place, or to supported adult living accommodation. Young people are supported to develop their independence skills, such as budgeting, shopping and learning to cook. The home uses a fully equipped separate facility from the home where risks and safety

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Outstanding

measures are in place to keep young people safe when learning independence skills. Judgement grade

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Outstanding

Care planning and risk management are exceptional. The most vulnerable children and young people are safe in this home. Staff understand the risks extremely well for children and young people with complex needs. Risks are underpinned by up- to-date risk assessments with clear control measures. Staff demonstrate a thorough knowledge of each child’s and young person’s risk and demonstrate well how they apply the measures in practice. Detailed behavioural management plans for individual children and young people are in place. These outline in detail all of the areas where children and young people may be vulnerable to risk or display behaviour which presents risks to others or themselves. Staff know the triggers that may lead to challenging behaviour and work alongside each other and consistently follow agreed strategies to minimise disruption. Strategies may be reactive to guide children and young people away from danger, comforting to prevent any upset escalating into

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Outstanding

disruptive behaviour or just by giving children and young people space and privacy for them to calm down. Staff embrace the behaviour management strategies and are highly effective in minimising incidents. They implement the positive reward systems that are unique for each child and this significantly reduces any need for consequences or sanctions. Any physical intervention is low-level and of short duration. Since the last restraint, which took place on 1 December 2009, there has been one restraint to prevent a young person from injuring themselves and others. Such events are extremely rare and when they happen they are well documented and reviewed by the registered manager and staff to inform current and future practice. Children and young people are not restricted by any of the risk management measures in place and have controlled risk management plans in place. These identify how children and young people respond to situations when away from the

p.7

Outstanding

home. It provides them with opportunities to participate, socialise and be involved in activities with others and enjoy themselves. A leisure centre manager says, ‘The staff’s ability to ensure children’s social journey is understood by them, and staff prepare children and young people well, so they know about their activity and are less anxious when leaving the home.’ Staff are trained to recognise, respond and report any suspicions of abuse and demonstrate excellent safeguarding knowledge to protect children and young people. This is particularly relevant for children and young people who may hurt themselves because of their disability. Excellent staff practice includes sensitivity when carrying out body mapping, reporting and explanation of any marks or bruises observed on a child, which may be noticed when bathing or assisting them to change their clothes. The designated officer has no concerns about any of the

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Outstanding

staff or their practices in the home and reports good interagency safeguarding practice is followed. Professionals spoken with say that children and young people are protected and safe in the home. Staff make sure that children and young people are not putting themselves at risk by monitoring the use of the internet and mobile devices. Parental controls are in place to prevent access to inappropriate material. Children and young people are closely supervised and the home is suitably adapted to prevent children and young people from wandering off and going missing. There have never been any incidents of children and young people being missing from the home. The environment of the home is maintained to a high standard and the safety of the children and young people is underwritten in thorough risk assessments and monitoring processes, including those for fire prevention and health and safety. Recording of recruitment shows that safe practice is followed and procedures

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Outstanding

prevent any unsuitable people having access to the home or the children and young people.

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Outstanding

The registered manager is qualified, experienced and a confident leader. She is supported extremely well by her qualified and experienced management team, that combined have 87 years of experience of working with children and young people. She is highly motivated and leads a child-centred culture that is inspirational. She motivates staff to perform to the highest possible professional standards to meet the needs of the children and young people in their care. The registered manager ensures that staff are up to date and regularly refreshed in their training, including specialised training around the specific needs of each child. Staff and external professionals speak in the most positive terms of the registered manager. They say that support and encouragement occurs daily and not just within the structured environment of formal supervision and appraisal. There is a succession plan in place to identify and support staff who are

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Outstanding

enthusiastic and want to progress into management within the home. The home is staffed sufficiently to meet the needs of the children and young people. Staff are qualified to level 3 or above. They have their own skill set, having been delegated key responsibilities, for example, putting together information taken from local and national research. They share their knowledge with each other and regularly reflect on their practices. They clearly demonstrate the progress and experiences of children and young people who use the home as a shared care arrangement and for those who live in the home. The staff team has a shared vision and approach to providing care, which puts children and young people at the heart of practice. This is consistent with the aims and objectives, as outlined in the home’s statement of purpose document. The staff work well as a team and their views contribute to service development, which

p.8

Outstanding

means that there is a shared sense of ownership and responsibility for delivering high standards of care. The administration of the home is effectively monitored by the management team. The registered manager has good oversight of the quality of care. She quickly notices any shortfalls in practice and takes remedial action. She is present in the home and in touch with practice as experienced by staff and children. This enables her to lead effectively and ensures that the service achieves a good balance between consistent care and being flexible and responsive to the needs of children and young people. Monthly reports from an independent visitor consistently reflect the high quality of care that the home provides to children and young people and their family or carers. Reports comment positively on how children and young people make good progress in all areas of their lives and conclude that this is a direct result of the

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Outstanding

safe, nurturing and positive environment that they live in. The registered manager works effectively in partnership with other agencies to ensure that children and young people are safe and that care planning is meeting their needs. She is able to provide constructive challenge and solutions when dealing with complex care arrangements. The home is currently not operating to its full capacity. This is a result of changes to the operation of the home. Following a period of consultation, short breaks are no longer being provided. Families are purchasing their own short breaks for children and young people through the direct payment scheme. The home will respond should a family be in crisis and provide support for them. No requirements or recommendations are made at this inspection.

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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 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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