Children's home run by Outdoor Care Limited in Northumberland

Good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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The children’s home provision is good because:

 The young person has made good progress as a result of the support and guidance provided by staff. The home’s rural location provides benefits such as the ready availability of rewarding and healthy activities. The quality of staff support ensures that the young person’s access to education, activities, and contact with friends and family is not compromised.  The young person has excellent relationships with staff. He is relaxed and happy in their company. This makes it more likely that he will respond to the advice that staff provide.  Programmes for the young person’s care are informed by the overarching local authority plan. Staff work collaboratively with the placing social worker and the family to ensure consistency of approach. Detailed monthly reports summarise the progress made by the young person, and enable areas of concern to be identified and tackled.  The home’s routines and the high level of staff supervision ensure that the

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The children’s home provision is good because:

young person is kept safe. Staff enforce boundaries of acceptable behaviour which the young person understands and generally adheres to.  Some aspects of the home’s management require improvement. In particular, the staff recruitment process needs to be more robust, although this shortfall does not unduly impact on the young person’s safety. Other areas for development include the recording of missing from home episodes and preparing the young person for adult life.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person(s) meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child which include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child. (Regulation 36(1)(a)) In particular, ensure that records contain full details relating to each incident when a child goes missing or is absent from the home. 12/8/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. (2) The registered person may only— (a) employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or (b) if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). (3) The requirements are that— (a) the individual is of integrity and good character; (b) the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform; (c) the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and (d) full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 32 (2) & (3)). In particular, ensure that interviews of applicants follow a rigorous and consistent format and enable the registered person to satisfy themselves of their suitability. 12/8/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  Staff must help each child to prepare for any moves from the home, whether they are returning home, moving to another placement or adult care, or to live independently. This includes supporting the child to develop emotional and mental resilience to cope without the home’s support and, where the child is moving to live independently, practical skills such as cooking, housework,

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Recommendations

budgeting and personal self-care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.27)

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides accommodation for one child with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is operated by a private company.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

23/3/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

30/3/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Good

The home’s isolated, rural location enables the young person to enjoy a range of stimulating activities. These include fishing (sea and river), beach excursions and hill walking. In addition, the nearby town offers amenities including a leisure centre, where the young person plays badminton and works out in the gym. Being able to enjoy this range of leisure pursuits in the company of staff builds relationships and enhances the young person’s confidence. The young person said, ‘I used to fish before I came here, but I’ve learned such a lot from John (staff member).’ The home’s remoteness does not impede the young person’s access to education and other important services. Staff support him in attending further education, staying with him during the college day to ensure that any difficulties can be swiftly overcome. As a result, he has full attendance and is making steady progress. Local health services are readily available, and staff transport the young

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Good

person to appointments which are further afield, for example with child and adolescent mental health services. Professionals from these services also visit the home to work with the young person. Additionally, the registered provider commissions a psychologist to undertake individual sessions which aim to improve the young person’s emotional well-being. Her work is closely linked to the needs identified in the young person’s care plan and is bearing fruit, for example in enabling the young person to talk about his feelings and to manage his emotions better. Relationships between staff and the young person are excellent. The staff group is diverse in terms of gender, age, interests and personality. This means that there is always someone else who the young person can spend time with if he has a temporary falling out with a member of staff. Generally, the young person trusts staff to advocate for him and act in his best interests. The quality of the

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Good

attachments he has formed underpins the progress that he has made in his time here. The close support provided by staff means that consultation with the young person is undertaken minute by minute. Staff encourage the young person to air his views and make choices. Where those choices are inappropriate or unsafe, staff take the time to explain why. Regular individual sessions between staff and the young person are more formal exercises in seeking his opinions, in particular in relation to his care plan. Staff are creative in enabling the young person to express himself. For example, in one session, the member of staff asked him how he was feeling. The young person asked if he could type his response on the laptop as he would find that easier than saying it. He did so, leading to a more meaningful discussion than might otherwise have been the case.

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Good

In the daily life of the home, staff take every opportunity to encourage the young person to do things for himself. The home’s incentive scheme is geared towards the completion of tasks, such as keeping his room clean and being responsible for his own washing. One member of staff in particular has taught him to cook, insisting that he satisfies basic hygiene standards before he begins preparing food. This work is helpful in developing the young person’s self-reliance, but a formal life skills programme would prepare him more effectively for adulthood.

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Good

Staff have particular strengths in maintaining and developing the young person’s relationship with his family. Arrangements for contact are effectively planned and well supported by staff at all stages. Close cooperation between the staff, parents and social worker ensures that there is complete clarity about where, when and how contact takes place. This provides reassurance for both the young person and his parents. Staff are innovative and flexible in making contact more meaningful. For example, they have arranged weekend camping trips in which family members also take part. In addition, the young person has developed sufficient responsibility to have time alone when he can meet up with friends. He said, ‘I like it here, especially now I can get more free time.’

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Good

There are always two staff on duty, with both the registered manager and responsible individual covering any gaps in the rota. This high level of staff support and supervision for the young person is a significant factor in keeping him safe. There have been few incidents where the young person has gone missing. Staff are proactive in taking action when it occurs, for example searching the areas that he might have gone to. Staff provide structure and boundaries for life within the home. The young person understands the reasonable expectations for his behaviour and attitude to others. Staff encourage and reward good behaviour, not only through the incentive scheme but also by the use of praise and celebrating his achievements. Sanctions are not used, neither has it been necessary for staff to use restraint to keep the young person or other people safe. A social worker said, ‘The staff manage the young person well. He can be challenging, but they have a good understanding of

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Good

Staff are effective in managing risk of harm. They use their knowledge of the young person’s needs and particular vulnerabilities to draw up strategies to keep him safe. For example, there is comprehensive planning around the use of his mobile phone. This ensures that any risks attached to using social media are reduced to a minimum. Staff are trained in safeguarding procedures, and in topics including child sexual exploitation and radicalisation. There are currently no concerns about either of these risks. The young person confirmed the sense of security that he experiences, saying simply, ‘I feel safe here.’

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Requires improvement

The registered manager is experienced and suitably qualified . Alongside the registered manager, the responsible individual takes a keen interest in the day-to- day running of the home. She has a thorough knowledge of the young person and develops effective relationships with his family. The leadership provided to staff ensures that, in general, quality of care is consistent and results in good outcomes for the young person. Monitoring systems are effective, both internal and external processes enabling the registered manager and staff to evaluate how well the young person is doing. When there are shortfalls in the service provided by other professionals, the home’s leaders are assertive in challenging appropriately. The recommendation made at the last inspection has been implemented. Formal supervision now challenges staff to be more reflective about their practice and how what they do every day can help the young person to make progress. All staff

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Requires improvement

apart from one have the required qualification, and the ongoing training programme ensures that their skills and knowledge are kept refreshed. The input of the psychologist who works with the home is helpful. A recent workshop on child attachment was welcomed by staff. One said, ‘It has helped me to understand better the impact of early childhood experiences on current behaviour.’ Some aspects of leadership and management fall below standard. Records of incidents of the young person going missing are inconsistent in the detail that they provide. For example, not all record the times when people such as police or parents were contacted. In addition, the handwritten format is difficult to read. It is not always evident that the young person has been offered a return interview carried out by an independent person. The provision of such interviews is patchy, and on one occasion the task was delegated inappropriately to a member of staff.

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Requires improvement

This lack of independence compromises the otherwise very good standard of safeguarding that the home provides.

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Requires improvement

The recruitment of staff is generally sound, with thorough vetting checks of people who are appointed. However, interviews of potential staff are not sufficiently structured, rigorous or challenging. This means that there is a lack of assurance that staff have the values and attributes necessary to undertake the task.

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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 children looked after 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 whom 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 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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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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