Children's home run by West Sussex County Council

Inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded

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The children's home provision is inadequate because:

 Young people’s protection and safety is compromised. This is because the registered manager does not implement safeguarding referral procedures as required.

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The children's home provision is inadequate because:

 Young people are not treated with dignity and respect. They do not receive personalised care that meets their individual needs, as recorded in their relevant plans.

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The children's home provision is inadequate because:

 Staff do not manage effectively or safely young people’s behaviours. Prescribed criteria for the use of single separation is not consistently applied.

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The children's home provision is inadequate because:

 The registered manager does not effectively monitor the home, or review and evaluate the service. This means that young people’s progress and development is not prioritised.

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The children's home provision is inadequate because:

 Young people are not encouraged to take responsibility for their actions or behaviours and therefore they do not develop the skills to resolve conflicts.

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The children's home provision is inadequate because:

 Education time is not protected because appointments and meetings are arranged for during the education day. This detracts from young people’s learning.

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The children's home provision is inadequate because:

 The self-evaluation of the education provision is weak and does not adequately highlight or action areas for improvement.

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The children's home strengths

 Young people make progress in relation to their emotional and physical health. Partnership working arrangements between the home and commissioned health services are improving.

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The children's home strengths

 Staff liaise with young people’s families to ensure that contact arrangements are suitable. These reflect the young people’s wishes and feelings.

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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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

6. The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard the registered person must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

(ii) protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

(iii) treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

(iv) provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

(vi) help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult. 30/09/2016

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Requirement Due date

7. The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the children’s views, wishes and feelings standard, the registered person must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

(iv) regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care. 30/09/2016

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the positive relationships standard, the registered person must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

(2)(a) 30/09/2016 (iii) encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

(iv) help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

(v) communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding.

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

(i) assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. This specifically relates to the use of single separation;

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Requirement Due date

(v) understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

(vi) take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. This specifically relates to the recording of actions taken. 04/08/2016

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Requirement Due date

13. The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

(1)(b) enable, inspire and lead a culture in relation to the children’s home that promotes their welfare;

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Requirement Due date

(2)(b) ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

(d) ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

(e) ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; 30/09/2016 (f) understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

(h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

No measure of control or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) may be used in relation to any child. This specifically relates to the use of single separation (Regulation 19(1)) 04/08/2016

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing injury to any person (including the child); or serious damage to the property of any person (including the child). This specifically relates to the use of restraint to gain compliance. Regulation 20(1)(a)(b)) 04/08/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect. This specifically relates to the implementation of this policy. (Regulation 34(1)(b)) 04/08/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it. The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes all required information. (Regulation 35(2)(3)(a)(i-viii) 04/08/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. This specifically relates to a record in the form of a register and associated information. (Regulation 37(2)(a)) 30/09/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39(3)) 30/09/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the quality of care provided for children; the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45(2)(a)(b)(c )) 30/09/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Ensure the children's homes is a nurturing and supportive environment that meet the needs of children, and is a homely and domestic environment. In particular, that settees and chairs are in good condition, free from stains and that all windows have curtains or blinds, which fit correctly. ('Guide to the children's home regulations including the quality standards, page 15, and paragraph 3.9

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the ethos of the home supports each child to learn; specifically, managers should critically assess lessons to ensure teachers stretch and challenge all young people. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 29, paragraph 5.18)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the ethos of the home supports each child to learn; specifically, develop a robust strategy that protects learning and education time for learners, ensuring appointments are booked outside school hours. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 29, paragraph 5.18)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the ethos of the home supports each child to learn; specifically, continue developing the use of data by managers to obtain an accurate picture of the proportion of young people who are attending education well and to improve this. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 29, paragraph 5.18)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the ethos of the home supports each child to learn; specifically, managers need to strengthen the self-evaluation of the education provision and their action planning processes to ensure areas in need for improvement are promptly identified and addressed. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 29, paragraph 5.18)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the ethos of the home supports each child to learn; specifically, develop all teaching and learning staff further to support them in planning their activities better ensuring all young people, in particular the most able ones, receive an appropriate level of challenge. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 29, paragraph 5.18)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the ethos of the home supports each child to learn; specifically, more group activities should be created to allow young people to improve their team working skills. Ensure the effectiveness of this is measured through the teaching and learning observations. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 29, paragraph 5.18)  Ensure that the ethos of the home supports each child to learn; specifically, improve the quality of feedback learners receive following assessment by their teachers to ensure they make good progress with their learning. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 29, paragraph 5.18)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the secure children's home offers opportunities for enjoyment and achievement, and encourages young people to participate and develop their skills and interests, as part of the plan for their care. This type of activity will be particularly important to their rehabilitation and preparation for living back in the community. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 31, paragraph 6.9)

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Information about this children's home

This secure children’s home is managed by a local authority. It is approved by the Department for Education to restrict young people's liberty. Education is provided on- site in dedicated facilities. The children's home can accommodate up to seven young people who are aged between 10 and 17 years and accommodated under section 25 of the Children Act 1989. Admission of any young person under 13 years of age requires the approval of the Secretary of State.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

26/01/2016 SCH – Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

14/01/2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Inadequate

A lack of personalised care hinders the overall progress and experience for some young people. This is because young people do not receive good quality care that consistently protects and promotes their welfare. For example, when young people require emergency medical attention and are required to leave the home, staff do not accompany them. In these circumstances, there is a reliance on the use of external escort staff to transport young people and support them. These staff are unknown to the young people and therefore this increases young people’s levels of anxiety and apprehension. This practice, when used as a matter of routine, is unacceptable.

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Inadequate

Internal care plans, risk assessments and behaviour plans are generic in parts. They do not consistently identify the individual support needs of each young person. For example, on occasions when it is necessary for young people to be kept separate from their peers, their care plans do not highlight specific strategies in place to support their re-integration. The lack of bespoke care planning is detrimental to young people’s day-to-day experience, progress and development. Furthermore, young people’s progress is not clearly documented, or evaluated within their care plans. This means it is difficult for young people to recognise their achievements.

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Inadequate

Young people say that they have good relationships with some staff. They say these individuals are ‘caring’ and ‘easy to talk to’. Young people raised concerns about a minority of staff, and their attitude and manner. This detracts from those coherent relationships already formed, and is caused by a lack of consistent practice. This creates barriers, and reduces the chance of young people engaging fully to address the difficulties in their lives.

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Inadequate

Recent periods of unsettled behaviour has meant that the range of social and leisure activities available to young people have reduced. Young people say that they enjoy cooking activities, card games and arts and crafts, but also report that that are ‘bored’ and that they ‘need more to do’. Staff continue to risk assess all activities in the home, and this is a positive action. However, some assessments are overly risk averse and prevent young people from participating in ‘normal’ activities such as group sports. This limits young people’s opportunities to pursue their individual hobbies and interests.

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Inadequate

Staff consult with young people about their individual care and their plans for their future. This forms part of everyday life in the home, through daily discussions, regular key work sessions and within weekly young people’s meetings. One-to-one key work sessions encourage young people to consider how their historical experiences influence their development. Young people say that they enjoy these sessions. Nevertheless, staff do not ask young people for their views in relation to the day-to-day running of the home, general routines, boundaries and rules or regarding how to make the home better. This is a missed opportunity for staff to act on young people’s views and suggestions for further improvement.

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Inadequate

Young people benefit from easy access to the recently established on-site health team. This developing service incorporates child and adolescent mental health support, psychological and psychiatric interventions, substance misuse care and nursing services. Partnership working arrangements between the health professionals and the residential care staff team are good. Together, they support and assist in the improvement of young people’s health.

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Inadequate

Overall, young people live in a clean and well-equipped home, and a re-decoration programme is underway. Some furnishings are showing signs of wear and tear. The lounge and computer room chair and settee covers are faded and stained. Curtains are ill fitting in a number of areas, including bedrooms; there are no curtains or blinds in the computer room. Therefore, aspects of the young people’s living environment are unkempt and this diminishes their daily experience.

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Inadequate

Staff support young people to increase their independent living skills. They encourage young people to complete household tasks and chores, and participate in cookery sessions. Staff are committed to providing young people with mobility opportunities in line with risk assessment recommendations and feedback from allocated social workers. However, formal transition plans are weak. They do not provide a comprehensive or integrated strategy, or demonstrate the progress that young people make. As a result, young people do not benefit from inclusive transitional planning that takes account of their skills, abilities or developing resilience.

p.11

Inadequate

Young people are encouraged to maintain regular contact with their families and others who are important to them, through telephone calls and face-to-face visits. Staff ensure that these visits take place in areas that are both comfortable and family orientated. For example, younger siblings have access to a play area. This support and attention to detail enables young people to spend time with their families in a suitable environment. This maximises their enjoyment of these occasions. Judgement grade

p.11

Inadequate

Staff are able to identify factors that potentially place young people at risk of harm. For example, although young people acknowledge that they ‘bicker’ with their peers, they do not perceive bullying to be a concern. This is because staff address any issues of bullying. Young people say that these timely actions make them feel safe.

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Inadequate

Young people are involved in the risk assessment process although they are not encouraged or supported to take responsibility for their actions and behaviours. For example, conflict management in the home focuses on young people’s separation. Young people are not encouraged to learn the necessary skills required to negotiate or agree a compromise. As a result, some young people resort to physical aggression to express their point of view and release their frustrations.

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Inadequate

Young people do not receive clear or consistent messages regarding the expectations of acceptable behaviours or appropriate boundaries. These is no distinct guidance for young people to inform them of the behaviours expected of them. This means that young people are not encouraged to take responsibility for their behaviours or actions. Young people say they do not always know when they are ‘doing well’. This leaves them feeling confused and anxious, and creates a chaotic atmosphere in the home.

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Inadequate

Since the last inspection, there has been a notable increase in the use of sanctions, physical restraint and single separation. This is due in part to the challenging dynamic of the group of young people placed in the home. There have been periods when in order to maintain young people’s safety it has been necessary for young people to be managed away from their peers. In these circumstances, young people are subject to ‘behaviour support plans’. These documents lack sufficient detail to explain specific patterns of behaviours, or clear strategies to address these behaviours. As a result, young people are often unsure why they are subject to these plans . In addition, there are occasions when the use of single separation is inappropriate and not in line with regulations. The use of this measure of control to manage behaviour is at times excessive and unreasonable. Young people have been subject to prolonged periods of isolation without due

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Inadequate

Records pertaining to the use of single separation are incomplete. Staff do not consistently ensure that they record who has authorised the use of this measure of control. Records do not demonstrate if the continued use of single separation is appropriate or lawful, or detail the actions taken to reintegrate young people back into the peer group. There is no indication that staff speak with the young person about the use of the measure of control. These are missed opportunities to engage young people in discussions about their behaviour and encourage them to take responsibility for their actions.

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Inadequate

The registered manager has not reviewed the behaviour management policy as required. This shortfall was raised at the last inspection. There is a lack of detailed guidance relating to suitable sanctions, and little oversight by the registered manager regarding the appropriateness of those given to young people. This means that the use of sanctions are ineffectual in encouraging young people to take responsibility for their behaviour.

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Inadequate

Physical restraint is used and staff receive regular training in the home’s methods. Debriefs with young people and staff are not consistently completed. A senior member of staff reviews incidents using closed-circuit television (CCTV) to verify if the use of restraint is appropriate and meets the legal criteria. There are three recent occasions when staff used physical restraint for compliance contrary to regulations. Managers are aware of these events as they identified them quickly through monitoring processes. Actions taken by managers are not sufficiently robust to prevent repeated poor practice. This questions some staff’s understanding of their responsibility in relation to the consistent care and protection of young people.

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Inadequate

Staff receive regular training relating to a range of safeguarding issues, including child protection, child sexual exploitation, self-injurious behaviour and radicalisation. Internal and local authority safeguarding policies and procedures are in place. There have been a number of safeguarding referrals to the designated officer for the local authority and the child protection team, since the last inspection. Records of these concerns are generally poorly completed and lack sufficient detail. Managers and staff do not consistently update records to reflect all of the action taken and the outcome of any investigations. The registered manager failed to implement the safeguarding procedure in relation to an allegation of abuse. He took insufficient action to protect young people in the home, or to ensure that other agencies acted as required and in a timely manner. This failure potentially placed young people at risk.

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Inadequate

Risk assessments assist staff to help keep young people safe. Staff monitor closely the areas and facilities young people have access to. Staff complete daily checks on all living and external areas. There is custom of carrying out full unit searches that include locking young people in their bedrooms for extended periods to facilitate security and safety checks. The registered manager states that the rationale for this is the suspicion of the concealment of contraband items. This, along with records pertaining to these searches, does not demonstrate a justified need for locking all young people in their rooms and does not indicate why other courses of action were not used or considered, including a risk-led, proportionate and targeted approach.

p.13

Inadequate

Searches of young people take place to ensure their safety, the safety of others and the security of the home. On admission to the home, young people experience a full personal search, where they remove their clothing and wear a dressing gown to allow staff to search their clothing. However, they may also be subject to a full personal search if staff suspect that young people are in procession of contraband items. Staff do not record these searches and there is no indication if or when managers have authorised them. The lack of recording and authorisation to justify such actions questions their appropriateness and means that young people are not treated with dignity and respect.

p.13

Inadequate

Staff work in partnership with other agencies to support young people who have been sexually exploited. This helps young people to understand the abusive nature of some of their relationships. Staff support young people to recognise how damaging and harmful these relationships are, and to develop coping and safety strategies. This increases young people’s self-confidence and supports their progress and development.

p.14

Inadequate

Planned and approved visits out of the home prepare young people to move on. Staff assess the risks associated with this activity. A young person recently absconded during a planned and approved visit in the community, and was missing for several days. On this occasion staff failed to record their evaluation of the potential risk factors, to demonstrate sufficient planning. However, staff do ensure that they follow missing from home policies and procedures to help other agencies locate the young person, and advocate for independent interviews for young people on their return.

p.14

Inadequate

Recruitment processes and procedures are robust. All staff, including agency or casual staff, are subject to relevant checks. Detailed recruitment records are retained at the local authority head office, although information about relevant checks kept in the home is basic.

p.14

Inadequate

The registered manager holds the relevant and required qualifications for his role. He registered with Ofsted in January 2009.

p.14

Inadequate

Leadership and management in the home are inadequate and do not promote young people’s welfare. This is because identified regulatory shortfalls are detrimental to young people’s overall experience, and compromise their welfare and safety.

p.14

Inadequate

The registered manager does not implement safeguarding procedures as required. He does not appropriately manage allegations of abuse or harm. This is because internal monitoring and review systems are weak and ineffectual. They do not highlight when further actions are required to promote and ensure young people’s safety. Safeguarding referrals made to external agencies and other professionals are not tracked or monitored, and there are no suitable systems in place for this purpose. Records of safeguarding concerns are incomplete and of a poor quality. The registered manager does not take appropriate steps to evaluate the suitability of these records. Because of these shortfalls, the registered manager has failed to manage a serious allegation of harm in a timely manner. Furthermore, he had not appropriately recognised or challenged the insufficient actions of other agencies.

p.14

Inadequate

The registered manager does not prioritise young people’s needs. Young people’s day-to-day experience and progress fluctuate depending on the team of staff caring for them. There are variations in the approaches used by different care staff, and in the implementation of agreed rules and boundaries. This does not provide young people with consistent care. This lack of continuity is, on occasions, exploited by the young people who say that they are aware of a lack of teamwork between some staff groups. Although the registered manager recognises that the absence of stability is detrimental to young people’s progress, insufficient actions have been taken to address this shortfall. The current reliance on the regular use of agency staff to cover staffing vacancies and absences further compounds this shortfall. Reduced staffing levels impact on the routines in the home. For example, young people’s mobility activities often occur during education time. This is

p.15

Inadequate

because more staff are available. The registered manager has taken insufficient steps to ensure that this practice does not continue. He does not recognise the negative impact this shortfall has on the quality of care and education provided by the home or the young people’s individual progress.

p.15

Inadequate

The statement of purpose includes all necessary information as required and defines the aims and objectives of the service. This means that placing authorities, other professional agencies and young people’s families are aware of the range of services the home offers. The degree to which the registered manager successfully achieves the aims and objectives is limited. This is because of failures to promote young people’s welfare consistently. Feedback from other agencies and professionals is positive and notes the progress that some young people make in placement.

p.15

Inadequate

The registered manager does not monitor the service effectively or consider the impact the quality of care provided has on young people’s progress and development. Monitoring systems are both weak and inadequately implemented. For example, documents for the collection of information relating to the use of single separation only record the number of events. There is no evaluation of the legitimacy for using this measure of control, or any consideration given to the impact this may have on young people. The registered manager replicates this shortfall in all of the monitoring systems he has in place. Systems do not allow for the analysis of qualitative and quantitative information in order to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the service or highlight any patterns and trends. The registered manager does not equate young people’s progress to the quality of care that they receive and this is detrimental to their development, welfare and safety.

p.15

Inadequate

Furthermore, the registered manager does not monitor some aspects of practice at all. These areas include the frequency of personal searches, incidents of bullying and the recording of correct information in admission and discharge records. In addition, the review of the quality of care does not include the feedback, views, opinions or sentiments of young people, their families or other professionals. This hinders the development of the service.

p.16

Inadequate

Young people say that they have confidence in the complaints procedure and that the registered manager addresses any concerns that they raise. However, complaints records do not demonstrate the actions taken to resolve these, if the young person was satisfied with this resolve, or if any further actions are required following the investigation.

p.16

Inadequate

The registered manager and the management team ensure that staff receive regular formal supervision. These sessions enable staff to reflect on their practice and consider their training needs. Leaders and managers review training plans annually to ensure that the staff have the skills and knowledge necessary to support young people.

p.16

Requires improvement

Young people’s attendance in education is insufficient. Leaders and managers do not use data effectively to obtain an accurate picture regarding attendance. They do not instil a culture where education time is protected for designated learning. Too many external and care-related appointments take place during education hours. This reduces attendance and young people’s learning activities. Although some young people improve their attendance considerably in relation to their starting point, there are cases where this improvement is not maintained. In these circumstances, education plans lack clear actions and targets to support improved attendance.

p.16

Requires improvement

Young people make good progress in their chosen subjects in their individual option learning sessions and, in hairdressing, they develop vocational skills quickly. After only a few sessions, they apply themselves, with a good degree of enthusiasm, to washing, dyeing and trimming hair following well their tutor’s careful guidance. Similarly, they make good gains in the design technology lessons, where they learn to design and create small decorative objects using machinery and following health and safety considerations well. Learning resources are of variable quality. Mathematics worksheets are well contextualised and they support the development of personal, useful skills such as budget control when travelling. The design technology workshop is very well equipped and reflects the industry standards. However, accommodation and learning resources used in hairdressing require improvement, as they do not allow

p.16

Requires improvement

young people to maximise the acquisition of employability skills such as customer service and communications.

p.17

Requires improvement

Teachers and teaching assistants do not promote the development of English and mathematics skills sufficiently throughout every subject in the curriculum. In some classes, teachers place adequate emphasis on promoting literacy and numeracy. However, in some cases, they do not correct spelling mistakes contained in homework. This reduces the opportunity to maximise the learning and development of these skills.

p.17

Requires improvement

The planning of learning to ensure that all young people achieve over and above the education department’s expectations is not good enough in all subjects and activities. In some areas, like design technology, tutors make good efforts to ensure that young people participate in projects that they can realistically achieve during their time in the home. Similarly, the hairdressing tutor sets excellent, short-term targets for achievement for each young person. However, in other subjects, teachers do not plan sufficiently to provide stretch and challenge to the more able young people. For example, at times teachers guide young people too much. This curtails their independent and reflective learning. The feedback that young people receive following the assessment of their work is not always helpful in guiding them to improve their skills. Teachers and teaching assistants focus feedback on praising young people for the work they have done, but this does not

p.17

Requires improvement

help them to develop strategies to improve their English or mathematics.

p.17

Requires improvement

Managers do not sufficiently evaluate the education provision. They have not correctly identified in their self-assessment report the decline in the number of young people who are making better progress than expected. Action planning to develop and improve the education provision is weak. For example, the current action plan only contains the three education recommendations made by inspectors at the previous full inspection.

p.17

Requires improvement

The education and learning curriculum delivered at the home is good. The service has responded to the recommendation made at the previous inspection to conduct a review of the curriculum. The education offer has been extended to provide opportunities for personalised learning on subjects chosen by the young people. As a result, one young person has recently started to study psychology and law.

p.17

Requires improvement

The well-equipped gym provides young people with opportunities to access personalised fitness programmes. They work well with the gym instructor, persevering with physical exercise, which the majority of young people say that they enjoy. Enrichment opportunities complement the formal curriculum. Through these opportunities, young people develop useful teamwork and productivity skills and they gain a sense of achievement. Links with external companies allow young people to engage in creating products, which they find enjoyable. Other activities such as the forest school and the visits from the mobile library help the education department to offer a diverse range of learning activities to young people.

p.17

Requires improvement

Teachers and teaching staff use comprehensive systems to monitor and record each aspect of young people’s behaviour in the class. This indicates that this year so far, a high percentage of young people have demonstrated good behaviour. In cases when young people display poor behaviour, teachers manage this well. This enables young people to form suitable relationships with teachers and teaching staff. This supports their learning.

p.18

Requires improvement

Education managers have opted to deliver teaching and learning mostly on an individual basis in order to avoid conflict between young people. However, this curtails their opportunities to develop their team skills and to build their tolerance and resilience by learning to work constructively with other young people.

p.18

Requires improvement

Not enough progress has been made in addressing the recommendation made at the previous inspection to ensure that lessons provided sufficient stretch and challenge for young people. Teaching and learning observations demonstrate that education managers do not place enough emphasis in assessing how the most able learners are set challenging targets during the lessons in order to motivate them to achieve more and to fulfil their potential.

p.18

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

p.19

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

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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