Children's home run by Approach-Development (NE) Ltd in Redcar and Cleveland

Requires improvement

The children's home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 The suitably qualified manager is new since the last inspection. She has submitted an application to Ofsted and built a consistent staff team, but the majority of staff are still within their probationary periods and only 50% hold the requisite level 3 qualification.  Although there are now sufficient workers to meet the needs of the current young person, they have not all completed the necessary training courses. For example, training in the prevention of child sexual exploitation, substance misuse or radicalisation.  The present young person is not yet fully engaged with the home and has not contributed to his placement plan.  The current young person continues to spend a considerable amount of time away from the home and is involved in substance misuse.  The present young person has not yet been involved in a fire drill.  Monitoring reports under Regulations 44 and 45 still do not meet the required standard.

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The children's home strengths

 Good collaborative working with partner agencies provides the current young person with access to the services that he needs.  The present young person is engaged with the local virtual education provision. This empowered him to sit for GCSE examinations and he has secured a place in college for September 2016.  The current young person is responding to the consistent boundaries, leading to improved behaviours within the home.  The staff team demonstrates a clear commitment to safeguarding the present young person, even if he does not feel this is necessary.  The majority of the requirements raised at the previous inspection have been met.  The staff team now benefits from consistent leadership, an appropriate induction programme and regular supervision.  Staff receive clear guidance regarding any areas of concern, resulting in appropriate direction of notifications. This provides safeguards for young

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The children's home strengths

people.  Equality and diversity needs are understood and promoted.  Professionals and family members report positively about the level of communication and liaison with the home.

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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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

12: The protection of children standard In order to meet the protection of children standard, with particular reference to involving young people with regular fire drills. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure — (d) that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. 1 August 2016

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Requirement Due date

In preparing or reviewing the placement plan the registered person must – so far as is reasonably practicable, having regard to the child’s age and understanding, seek and take account of the child’s views, wishes and feelings. (Regulation 18 (8)(a)) 1 August 2016

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person – if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (2)(a)) 1 August 2016

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (5)) 1 September

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:

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Recommendations

 The home should be located in an area that supports children's safety, well- being and personal development. The location of the home should support its aims, objectives and ethos, as described in the statement of purpose (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.23). In particular, that the locality assessment should reflect the individual needs of the resident young people.  The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2).

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Information about this children's home

A private company manages this children’s home. It may accommodate up to five 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

24 February 2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

22 December 2015 Full Requires improvement

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Requires improvement

There is only one young person resident in the home. It is evident that he is starting to build positive relationships with staff, who he describes as ‘nice’ and he is able to identify favoured individuals. The staff team has maintained consistent and caring boundaries. They enthusiastically persist with offering positive activities with young people in the community and engagement with themselves. For example, playing cards around the kitchen table for long periods of time, which allows relaxed conversation and relationships to grow. As a result, levels of intimidation and aggression towards workers in this home have reduced. This demonstrates they are in the process of forming positive attachments. Young people enjoy living in a comfortable and spacious detached home spread over three floors. They are able to choose their own bedroom and decorate it to their taste. They are encouraged to eat their meals together in the large dining

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Requires improvement

room or can choose to sit at the kitchen table, as they would in a family home. This promotes a sense of belonging and security. A family member said, ‘My parents have been and they like it and my brother loves it. He says it’s dead posh.’ The back garden provides young people with the opportunity to participate in growing plants and vegetables or playing on the sizeable lawn. In addition, they can safely share in caring for and feeding the koi carp, as the wire netting around the fish pond is now secure. Young people can enjoy themselves while learning new skills, which broadens their horizons. Better care planning incorporates all aspects of the young person’s diverse needs. These demonstrate that specific targets around engaging with the young person, promoting his cultural and religious needs, contact with his family and identifying suitable education provision are being met. However, opportunities for formally

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Requires improvement

capturing his wishes and feelings are being missed, as it is not evident that the young person has seen and agreed with these plans. Good multi-agency partnership working ensures that the young person has links with all the agencies necessary to meet his identified needs. Consequently, he was able to swiftly engage with the virtual school system, enabling him to take GCSE examinations. In addition, with the support of staff, the young person attended an interview at college, which secured him a place on the course of his choice. This positivity promotes future job opportunities and life chances, enhancing the young person’s self-esteem and feelings of well-being. The young person said, ‘I’m proud of myself that I took my exams and am going to college. I definitely want to be a chef.’ Good links have with both generic and specialist substance misuse services exist, although young people continue to smoke cannabis. This has a detrimental effect

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Requires improvement

on their physical and psychological health and may inhibit their employment chances. The committed staff team provides the young person with every opportunity to express his wishes and feelings. It was evident that he felt comfortable and able to say what he wanted and why. For example, negotiating times to return home in the evening with staff and rewards for his incentive scheme. Therefore, the young person is learning positive communication skills and starting to gain the confidence to express views constructively rather than making demands. The manager said, ‘This is his home and I want him to be part of the community and work on that innate goodness.’ At the time of this inspection, the young person had completed his GCSE examinations and considered himself to be on ‘free time’ until he commences his college course in September. Consequently, although the staff are offering a daily structured activity programme to engage him, he is choosing to spend much of his

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Requires improvement

time away from the home and staff do not always know where he is. Nevertheless, they are persisting in offering positive alternatives, including working on his independence plan, and remain available to him when he wishes to engage. A social worker said, ‘I’m pleased with their care and their attempts to promote their positive aspects of care. They even prepared his CV with him and identified somewhere where there is a vacancy. I’m happy.’ Since moving into the home, the young person has been able to have regular unsupervised contact with family members. This maintains important cultural and community links, which will sustain him in his future adult life. In addition, important faith connections have been rebuilt as the staff have transported the young person to the mosque of his choice. An awareness of culture and diversity is a strength in the home. The member of staff who is responsible for disseminating

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Requires improvement

such information said, ‘We’ve got information on cultures and religion and the main components of each of them. I did a printout about Ramadan, which is on the wall so that all staff could read it.’

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Requires improvement

All staff have now received appropriate safeguarding training, which underpins the home’s suitable safeguarding procedures. In addition, a newly developed flow chart has been instituted. This clearly identifies who to notify if there are any concerns around radicalisation, use of social media, physical injury, challenging behaviour, bullying, child sexual exploitation, complaints, allegations or missing from home episodes. These measures ensure that staff would know what to do if there are any child protection concerns. A local police officer said, ‘They do want to know what to do to get things right, which is why they’ve contacted me.’ Since the last inspection, no other businesses now operate from the home. This, and improved visitor’s’ procedures, ensure that there are no unaccompanied or unknown adults visiting the home. Young people are not directly at risk as a result. Improved risk assessments detail the young people’s individual vulnerabilities and

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Requires improvement

the steps taken to address them. For example, access to illegal substances. These complement the home’s locality assessment, which provides generic detail of the neighbourhood in which the home is situated. However, the assessment does not reflect the resident young person’s specific needs and therefore does not provide full protection. Appropriate health and safety procedures and partnership working with agencies, such as the local fire service, physically safeguard young people within the home. Regular fire drills ensure that staff would know what to do in an emergency. However, they have not taken place when the current young person was present and therefore he is not equally protected. Improved missing person procedures now link with locally agreed protocols. The staff understand their roles and responsibilities in relation to young people going missing from the home. They proactively search for the present young person if he

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Requires improvement

does not return on time and have diligently amassed a list of addresses where he may be found. These measures safeguard the young person. The young person said, ‘They are obsessed with safeguarding. If I was out with my mates and I’m late, they come and find me. My other homes didn’t do that and I feel they are taking safeguarding too far.’ Although the young person returns to the home to sleep every night, there are regular occasions during the day and evening when the staff do not know where he is or what he is doing. They are aware of the potential risks this places the young person in and are doing all they can to encourage him to keep them informed. However, the young person refuses to do this as he has not yet engaged sufficiently with staff or the home to be open about his activities. Improved bullying procedures now link with the newly introduced ‘Incident of concern’ sheets. These ensure that any bullying behaviour would be swiftly

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Requires improvement

addressed, both protecting young people and allowing them to learn from the experience. However, this system cannot be tested until more young people are resident in the home. The enthusiastic staff team are positive role models for the present young person. The consistent boundaries provide him with clear expectations as to acceptable behaviour. The introduction of a positive rewards and incentives programme, developed with the young person, allows him to learn more acceptable ways of behaving. For example, he has chosen treating others with respect as one of his incentives. A family member said, ‘He is safe there. He’s changing and growing up a little.’ Staff use the ‘Records of challenging behaviour’ effectively to inform their approach with the current young person and address inappropriate actions before they escalate into violence. As a result, although appropriate restraint techniques could be utilised, physical intervention has not been necessary. This is an improvement

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Requires improvement

on previous placements for this young person. Judgement grade

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Requires improvement

The experienced manager has been working in the home since April 2016, although she did not start in post on a full-time basis until the 1 May 2016. She holds level 5 leadership and management qualifications in both young people’s and adult services. She has worked in services for young people with mental health problems, in education and held a senior position in a residential children’s home. Her application with Ofsted for registered manager status is proceeding. An equally well-qualified and experienced assistant manager supports the manager. Staff report positively about the impact that their introduction has had on the home. Although they have only been managing a relatively short period, the way of working that they bring has improved staff morale and recording processes. These in turn are improving care and outcomes for young people. A staff member said, ‘It’s 100% better under the new management. For one, this time around you

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Requires improvement

know who the manager is and who you are going to go to. You know if there is a problem (Name) or (Name) will be there.’ With the exception of the quality of the reports from the external visitor, all of the requirements and recommendations raised at the previous inspection have been met. This demonstrates the positive impact that the new management team has had and the home’s capacity to improve. Consequently, young people are better protected and their well-being enhanced and promoted. There is only one young person resident in the home at present. The manager is using the incentive programme and his key worker sessions to monitor his progress. Care plans are reviewed regularly in order to identify goals achieved and future areas for development. Recruitment procedures are now more effectively applied. This ensures that all relevant information about prospective staff members is gathered. Therefore,

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Requires improvement

people who may pose a risk to them do not care for young people. The management team have worked hard to employ staff with a range of skills to benefit young people. These include employing workers with relevant degrees as well as from residential care, the youth service and education backgrounds. Only 50% of the staff have the requisite level 3 qualification at this time, but the remainder of the team have enrolled on a suitable programme to gain the qualification. All staff now undertake a comprehensive induction programme to equip them for their role. This knowledge is supplemented by mandatory courses, including safeguarding children and young people. There are some further areas of development needed. The current young person said, ‘They’re all really nice but they could do with the right training and I would be happy to help train them, especially about gangs and drugs.’ The manager has recognised this deficiency and

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Requires improvement

has arranged training in the prevention of child sexual exploitation, radicalisation and substance misuse. Nevertheless, until all of the staff team have completed this training they are not fully equipped to meet this young person’s complex needs. The staff team now receive better supervision. This reflective and supportive practice ensures that workers are getting the guidance that they need and is promoting consistent care in the home. However, at present, the manager is not receiving supervision from a suitably qualified practitioner, which may inhibit her progress and professional development. The manager’s improved internal monitoring processes, together with previous Ofsted requirements, are utilised to inform the home’s development plan. This provides the management and staff team with a clear direction to improve care and outcomes for young people. However, these auditing processes do not incorporate the views of young people, staff or other interested parties, therefore it

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Requires improvement

is not clear how their voices are being heard. In addition, the independent visitor is still not stating his opinion as to whether young people are safeguarded and their well-being promoted, which is a breach of legislation. The improved statement of purpose provides interested parties with a detailed view of the care to be provided. As a result, the appropriate placement of future young people will enhance their opportunities to succeed. The management and staff team have worked hard to build positive working relationships with partner agencies that benefit young people. A social worker said, ‘There’s good communication and liaison with myself.’ This proactive practice was evident in the close relationship that the home had with the virtual school system, enabling the present young person to engage with education shortly after moving into the home.

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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 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

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What the inspection judgements mean

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

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

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