Children's home run by Unity Residential Care Services Limited in Newcastle-under-Lyme

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:

 Children and young people are happy, safe and making good progress in all areas of their lives. They are friends with each other and have good relationships with staff.  Alternative communication methods are used in the home to help to enable children and young people to express themselves, to enable their views to be acted upon.  Practice is child centred and designed and tailored to meet the individual needs of each child and young person. This is further enhanced by proactive partnership working with families and other professionals.  Staff are creative and inspirational in supporting children and young people. They have high aspirations for them and engage them in activities in the home and wider community.  There are a few shortfalls in practice, relating to records, timely update to risk assessments, notifying Ofsted of serious events and ensuring that children’s and young people’s health needs are fully met.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that must be taken so that the registered persons 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 persons must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

10: The health and well-being standard In order to meet the health and well-being standard, with particular reference to a swift response to broken glasses, the registered provider must ensure that (1)(a) the health and well-being needs of children are met. 23 August 2016

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Requirement Due date

12: The protection of children standard (1) The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure (a) that staff (ii) help each child to understand how to keep safe. 23 August 2016

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Requirement Due date

12: The leadership and management standard (1) The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enable, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that (a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and (b) promotes their welfare. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to (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. 23 August 2016 Continuing professional development: registered person and responsible individual 29(4) The registered manager must undertake such continuing professional development as is necessary to ensure that the registered manager has the skills needed for managing the home. 23 August 2016

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Requirement Due date

Behaviour management policies and records 35(3) The registered person must ensure that (a) 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 (v) details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; (viii) a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure. 23 August 2016

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Requirement Due date

Notification of a serious event 40(4) The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if (e) there is any other incident relating to a child, which the registered person considers to be serious. 23 August 2016

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Requirement Due date

Review of premises 46(1) The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard). (2) When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. 23 August 2016

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Information about this children's home

This children’s home may only provide care and accommodation for up to three children and may provide care and accommodation for children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is privately owned.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

23/02/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

10/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Good

Children and young people ‘love’ living in this home and would change ‘nothing’. They continue to make good progress from their starting points in all areas. Staff particularly encourage a fun and playful environment for them. They strongly advocate that they need happy memories and good attachments to help them to thrive in the other important areas of their lives. Children and young people are very proud of their home and were very excited to show off their new pet rabbit. All the children and young people have a level of responsibility caring for it, for example feeding and cleaning the hutch out. Children’s and young people’s bedrooms are decorated and furnished to their personal choice and they have toys and books of their choosing. They particularly enjoy the stories that staff read to them in the evening as part of their bedtime routine. Children and young people enjoy celebrating their birthdays. During the

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Good

inspection, a surprise birthday party was being planned to which family members, professionals, the home’s staff both past and present are all invited. Birthday presents are given careful consideration in relation to the hobbies and enjoyment of the individual child or young person, for example, attending a tour of Manchester United football stadium. As a result, children and young people feel valued and cared for, and develop their confidence and self-esteem from living in this home. Children and young people have good relationships with staff and each other. Staff respect and value them as individuals, they celebrate their accomplishments and encourage them to achieve their dreams. Children and young people are involved in all aspects of their care and decision-making, when appropriate. Staff have high aspirations for the children and young people in their care, which is evident from observations during the inspection.

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Good

Children and young people have advocates. Aids to facilitate communication help them to share their ideas and to make known their opinions. Visual prompts around the home and in bedrooms help children to understand about their home and are reminders that children and young people are at the centre of this home. This ensures that children and young people are listened to about the care that they receive and their future plans. Children’s and young people’s attendance at education is excellent. They all ‘love’ going to school. Staff attend school events, presentations and carers’ evenings. Staff actively challenge and question educational professionals when they believe a child or young person is struggling. They work together to ensure consistency of behaviour management techniques that work well. Children and young people enjoy a range of extra-curricular activities, for example, swimming club, cricket

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Good

clubs, camping, dancing and singing lessons. This shared approach shows children and young people that all professionals care for them. This ensures that children and young people enjoy and achieve during their education years. Children and young people, overall, enjoy good health, both emotionally and physically. They attend all medical appointments and ensure that any follow-up work is undertaken. For example, when a child was not brushing his teeth correctly, staff bought a battery-operated toothbrush and there has now been an improvement with cleaner teeth. However, not all staff ensure that health plans are comprehensive and fully up to date, for example, in recording recent illnesses. In addition, staff do not always respond in a timely manner to a young person’s glasses needing to be repaired. As a result, children and young people’s health needs are not always fully promoted in a timely manner.

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Good

Staff are sensitive to the cultural and developmental needs of children and young people, supporting them to adjust to transitions caused by separation and loss. Staff are clear that contact primarily needs to be in the child’s or young person’s best interest. Staff make every effort to enable children and young people to maintain links with their families, including supervising contact if necessary. This supportive approach ensures children and young people that all aspects of contact are planned, safe and an enjoyable experience for all involved. Additionally, children and young people are encouraged to maintain appropriate friendships outside the home. Children’s and young people’s confidence and self-esteem have increased because staff notice the progress that they make and celebrate their achievements. They learn an appropriate level of reliance on staff while enjoying their childhood and seeking age-appropriate independence skills. This helps them to build their

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Good

independence skills ready for the next stage in their development.

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Good

Children and young people feel safe and are safe in this home. Currently, there are no concerns relating to children and young people going missing or placing themselves at risks in other ways, including risk of sexual exploitation. Children and young people know how to complain and do so when they feel unsafe or unhappy. The manager addresses complaints fairly with an agreed resolution for all parties. As a result, children and young people are safe and protected. Staff rarely use sanctions, as the culture of the home is to recognise and reward positive behaviour and the achievements that children and young people make. Children and young people are fully involved in their incentive/reward charts that are bespoke to their individual aims and objectives. For example, one young person receives rewards in coins when he meets his target, whereas another receives rewards in marbles and these are then converted into money. The

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Good

manager has a ‘treat box’ from which they can choose a small gift when they have done some good work with their handwriting or have drawn a nice picture. As a result, children and young people understand how to improve their behaviour while, at the same time, strengthening their self-esteem and self-confidence. Behaviour management is a key feature of placement plans. There are good records in place to assess the risks that children and young people face. However, there are some discrepancies in the way in which risk assessments are robustly updated. This can compromise the safety and welfare of children and young people. Some of the children and young people struggle to understand and manage their emotions. Staff recognise this and use de-escalation strategies to help children and young people to manage their behaviours before the need for physical intervention. A staff member said, ‘We have made his bedroom a little sanctuary

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Good

for him. He has learned to self-regulate behaviours by going into his room and, as a result, physical interventions have reduced.’ Despite this reduction, a minority of recordings do not state whether medical help was sought and do not detail de- escalation strategies used to diffuse the situation. This means that children and young people may be unnecessarily restrained and at risk of further harm. Staff complete regular fire drills and tests to ensure that they are all clear about what to do in an emergency. Some elements of the environment are not sufficiently risk assessed, for example the pet rabbit and location risk assessment. As a result, children and young people may not be fully protected from harm.

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Requires improvement

The registered manager is experienced and suitably qualified. She has been absent from work for a significant period. The home has appointed appropriate deputising management arrangements. An acting manager is in the process of being registered with Ofsted, and has registered on a national vocational qualification (NVQ) level 5 and intends to continue his professional training in his new role as manager. He knows the staff well and meets with them regularly, individually and in a group, to ensure that they receive regular supervision. The changes in management arrangements do not appear to have disrupted children’s and young people’s lives as they have maintained some degree of contact with the registered manager through cards and flowers. The most recent internal monitoring report demonstrates that the acting manager has an understanding of the shortfalls where improvements need to be made and how these are going to be achieved. He is committed to ensuring that the voice of

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Requires improvement

the child is embedded within the home and that parenting styles reflect what children and young people would receive from a ‘good parent’. He is enthusiastic in developing and supporting the staff team. This ensures that staff will have the skills, knowledge and support to meet the changing needs of the children and young people as they grow. A clear structure is in place to ensure the safe and robust recruitment of staff. A number of the core staff team are suitably qualified, and good arrangements are in place to ensure that unqualified staff can gain a relevant childcare qualification within the appropriate timescales. Staff training takes into account the individual needs of children and young people as well core training such as safeguarding, first aid and fire safety. This ensures that children and young people are cared for by staff who are safe, experienced and have the skills to care for them.

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Requires improvement

Managers and staff have effective and meaningful partnership working with professionals and family members. Those spoken to are positive about the quality of care that children and young people receive. One professional said, ‘Overall, opinion of the service is excellent. They totally get him. The care planning and day- to-day structures and routines are bespoke and meet his needs. Communication, self-esteem, confidence and his whole demeanour [have] improved and [he] has welcomed the consistency of the home… Staff seem to know what the care plan is. They speak warmly and passionately about him. They really care about him.’ The statement of purpose is kept under regular review and reflects the service provided by the home. The majority of requirements from the previous inspection have been suitably addressed. A requirement made for the registered person to notify Ofsted of significant events that have occurred in the home has not been

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Requires improvement

met. Although the local authority designated officer investigated one incident thoroughly, Ofsted did not receive a notification. As a result, this requirement will be repeated.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against ‘Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection’.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of children looked after is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place. However, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or 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 that 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 ‘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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