Children's Home run by Lincolnshire County Council in Lincolnshire

Outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the home contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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The children’s home provision is outstanding because:

 Young people enjoy exceptionally stable and secure placements at this home. From their starting points, young people make significant improvements in all areas of their lives. They form very positive attachments to the staff team and each other. They develop in confidence and learn new skills, which will greatly assist them into adult life.  The highly dedicated and competent staff team demonstrates an admirable commitment to the young people in their care. They respond to their needs consistently and with great skill. They work closely, proactively and very positively with a wide range of agencies and professionals in order to secure the services and support needed for young people.  Young people receive the healthcare and support they need to an excellent level. Specialist support is provided in a very timely manner, with staff working proactively and efficiently as a care team to source the help young

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The children’s home provision is outstanding because:

people need from the point of admission. Detailed assessments and plans reflect the staff team’s commendable understanding and commitment to meeting the holistic health needs of young people at all times.  From their starting points, young people have made exceptional progress in relation to their educational attendance and attainment. Education and training provision is in place for all young people resident in this home. Staff fully promote the importance of education and, as a result, young people achieve extremely well and go on to further education and training. This increases their sense of self-worth and their potential as adults in the workplace.  Young people feel safe living in this home. They form positive and close relationships with staff. Staff support them to take age-appropriate risks and prepare them extremely well for their eventual move to adult life and independence. Several young people have made successful transitions from

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The children’s home provision is outstanding because:

the home to adult services, with full support from the staff team from this home. Outreach support is provided for those young people who have moved on, further illustrating the commitment of staff and managers to ensuring continuity of care and support for all young people.  One requirement and one recommendation were made at the last inspection. Care plans for all young people have been reviewed and updated to reflect current needs. Education is in place for all young people now and there are clear plans for how educational needs will be met. No shortfalls have been identified as a result of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is owned and run by the local authority.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/02/2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Outstanding

Young people feel very well supported and cared for by the staff team in this home. The consistent and clear approaches of staff enable young people to learn how to better manage and understand any concerning or potentially risky behaviours they exhibit. From their starting points, young people develop coping strategies and skills to manage their behaviours and emotions, and to make significant improvements in all areas of their lives. Such progress is supported by the deeply embedded research and intervention models used by staff. Social pedagogy and signs of safety intervention models are used daily by staff. These models are fully accepted and understood by young people. Young people work with staff to consider their specific needs and display a commitment to making positive changes in their lives.

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Outstanding

Young people make a significant contribution to how this home is run. They feel confident in speaking with all staff and managers about any concerns or issues they may have. Regular residents’ meetings enable them to discuss their views, with one young person having a lead role as spokesperson for the group. Their feedback is considered in team meetings and formal responses given to them on any issues or requests they raise. Young people have been involved recently in interviews for a new deputy manager. Staff provided them with training on interview skills and they clearly had a real voice in determining who should be appointed. This again reflects them having a real and powerful say in how the home is run. They have also been fully involved in recent decisions about refurbishments to the home. Some young people recently requested a meeting with an eminent academic lead on child protection, and have been granted a

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Outstanding

meeting later this year. One young person represents children looked after at a local countywide group, acting as vice-chairperson. The amount of involvement the young people have in expressing their views and opinions in this home is inspiring and a credit to staff and managers who advocate for them and make sure that they have a voice.

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Outstanding

A key strength of this home is its commitment to ensuring that the educational needs of each young person are met. All young people have education in place, and make exceptional progress from their starting points. Several young people have completed their GCSE examinations recently and have secured places at local colleges. For others, their attendance and engagement in education has improved massively since moving to this home. Several agencies praised the staff team for their tireless work in supporting and encouraging young people to re-engage in education. For some, their attendance prior to moving to this home was very low. They now have real potential to achieve and succeed. As one young person stated: ‘This home has been amazing for me. At my last home, I was getting into trouble and couldn’t see a future. I now have a place at college, have sat my GCSE exams and got a part-time job.’

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Outstanding

Young people receive individually tailored care and support to meet their complex needs. Staff ensure that young people have a wide range of fun and stimulating social activities in place. This includes trips to the seaside, the cinema, ice-skating, gym and library as well as inclusion in local groups and clubs. Young people enjoy contact with family and friends, fully supported by the staff team. Staff demonstrate a real understanding of the importance of promoting and supporting contact. They work closely and sensitively with family members and the placing authority to ensure that agreed contact arrangements are met.

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Outstanding

Another key strength of the home is in how well it prepares young people for their eventual move to independence. Structured independence work is undertaken, focusing on the skills young people will need to make a successful transition to adult life. Staff work sensitively with young people to develop skills in budgeting, personal care, shopping and food preparation. Young people gain confidence, they secure part-time voluntary and paid work, and have made positive links in the local community. Several young people have moved on from this home to semi- independent accommodation in the local area. With the agreement of the placing authority, staff have remained involved, providing outreach support to those young people. This provides a much-needed level of support to vulnerable young adults when they leave care. Feedback from placing social workers includes: ‘The support has been amazing. The young person doesn’t feel alone in the community and

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Outstanding

knows they can call staff at any time. They really value the ongoing support and visits by the staff from the home.’

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Outstanding

Young people have their health needs met to an exceptional level. Staff have shown real imagination and diligence in supporting young people, often with complex health needs. They have supported young people through medical procedures, ensuring that risk assessments have been updated and reflect their changing needs. They have fully supported young people to engage in therapy and other health-related appointments, with feedback from involved agencies being consistently positive. As one agency stated: ‘The staff are amazing in supporting young people to meet their needs. They go above and beyond their roles to make sure that needs are met.’ The staff also encourage young people over time to make their own routine health appointments. This teaches young people the skills they will need for when they move on to adulthood and increases their confidence.

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Outstanding

Monthly multi-agency risk management meetings take place in the home. Professionals from health, education, placing social workers and police attend to discuss and consider each young person living in the home. These meetings enable all agencies to consider the current and changing needs, make amendments to risk assessments and agree actions for the coming month. Such attention to detail and forward planning further supports the outstanding support and care young people receive in this home and leads to improved experiences and outcomes.

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Outstanding

Planned admissions to the home have been very well considered by the staff team. Young people have been able to visit the home prior to moving in, to meet with staff and other young people and to have overnight stays where appropriate. As young people placed in this home are all from within the county, travelling distances for contact are not excessive. Relationships between young people and their family members have also improved as a result of the proactive work done by staff and managers. Several professionals commented on this and the potential for some young people to return to live with family members, due to the support provided to all family members.

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Good

Young people benefit from being cared for by a highly diligent and knowledgeable staff team. Staff support young people to understand any concerning or potentially risky behaviours and assist them in developing strategies to overcome and manage such behaviours. There is also a strong emphasis on not criminalising young people, wherever possible. This is achieved through the very positive and close working relationships staff and managers have formed with local police and other relevant agencies. Restorative work is undertaken wherever possible with young people, to assist them in learning how to manage their behaviours and emotions better. Monthly multi-agency risk management meetings also enable staff to consider, with key agencies, the concerns and risk factors in order to amend plans for each young person.

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Good

Missing from care incidents have been relatively high, but there is a clear indication that such incidents are now reducing. This is attributable to the work done by staff, managers and involved agencies through the monthly risk management meetings. Careful and close monitoring and tracking take place, to consider and formulate plans for young people most at risk. Extremely detailed consideration of triggers and previous patterns of behaviour inform risk assessments and intervention plans. This has already led to a noticeable reduction in missing from care incidents for specific young people. Managers demonstrate a commendable insight into the actual and potential risk factors for each young person and take very prompt action with involved agencies to reduce and eradicate such concerns.

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Good

Where young people do go missing from care, staff follow relevant protocols and procedures effectively and efficiently. Police colleagues report a very close and positive working relationship with the home and its staff. Young people are always offered the opportunity to have a return interview, to discuss and share with an independent person the reasons for them going missing. Recording of all missing incidents is extremely detailed and reflects the competence of the staff team in responding sensitively and quickly to such concerns. The manager is in the process of reviewing missing from care reports with the local police, to ensure that procedures and protocols are consistently followed. This further demonstrates the commitment of staff and managers to working with the police and involved agencies to reduce and eradicate missing from care incidents.

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Good

The use of physical restraint in this home is minimal. This reflects the skills and competence of the staff team and managers in being able to de-escalate situations with young people. Managers closely monitor and oversee any use of restraint to ensure that their use is necessary and appropriate. Staff meet with young people to discuss any concerning behaviours and encourage them to read, sign and comment on relevant records. Such full engagement of young people in their care enables them to reflect on their actions and behaviours, and to learn how to manage their emotions better. The research-driven models of intervention used by staff members further support this. Social pedagogy and ‘signs of safety’ models are consistently used by staff and managers, with the full engagement and understanding of young people. This enables young people to consider their actions and emotions in a structured manner, and provides them with practical and

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Good

emotional tools for responding to their behaviours and negative emotions.

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Good

The recruitment and selection of staff for this home is robust and prevents unsuitable people from being recruited. Staff receive excellent training and development opportunities, which enhance their skills and competences in relation to safeguarding and child protection. They fully understand their professional responsibilities and work highly effectively to support and protect young people from actual or potential harm.

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Good

Clear and robust systems protect young people from incidents of bullying. Staff take very prompt action and record all such incidents. Young people feel confident in reporting any such incidents, with staff undertaking work with both parties to ensure that such behaviours are eradicated. Staff also work closely with local police and have invited them in on occasion to discuss the potential impact of bullying on both the victims and the perpetrators. Managers have good oversight of such matters, with very few incidents being recorded.

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Good

The home environment is secure and homely. Staff and young people work hard to maintain a welcoming and relaxed environment at all times. The manager has completed and regularly reviewed the location risk assessment for the home and surrounding areas. This provides clear information and details of the strategies in place to minimise risk to young people. Recent works to the bathrooms in the home have been completed, providing young people with a very homely and modern environment. Judgement grade

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Outstanding

The manager has been in post for several years now and has the skills, experience and qualifications necessary to perform the role. She is aspirational and highly respected by the staff team, young people, parents and involved agencies. She leads by example and sets high aspirations and expectations for young people and the staff team. Staff consistently report feeling highly supported and valued by the manager at all levels. Each member of staff takes on at least one lead role and responsibility in the home. This includes oversight of case files, health and safety and direct work with young people. Such designated roles enable staff to further develop their skills and competences and provides them with opportunities to progress within their roles. This approach also promotes a real sense of shared ownership of the home and the care provided.

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Outstanding

The staff team is extremely stable and includes staff who have worked in this home for many years. This reflects the strong management provided to them, their satisfaction in their roles, and their total commitment and dedication to the young people they care for. Staff report exceptionally high levels of satisfaction in their roles, supervisions and appraisals. They feel that the training provided further enhances their skills and that the manager is always receptive to their ideas, as well as those of the young people. As one member of staff said: ‘I love seeing the young people grow emotionally and in seeing them moving on from here in a much better place than when they moved in. We work closely as a team to provide the best possible care we can at all times and never give up on the young people.’

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Outstanding

The manager has excellent systems in place to monitor and oversee all aspects of the care provided to young people. A very detailed and comprehensive development plan is in place, regularly reviewed and updated. The manager has also introduced an action plan for the home, setting out clear plans to address potential improvements identified by the independent visitor. A new system of quarterly file audits across all areas of the home has been introduced. This further ensures that all systems and records are maintained to an excellent level and any identified needs are responded to in a very timely manner. Records relating to young people are clear, detailed and provide a full account of all work undertaken. Young people routinely consider their records and make comments on them. This reflects the total commitment of staff and managers to including young people in understanding the work done to support them. Staff ensure that any missing

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Outstanding

The statement of purpose for the home is detailed and clear in relation to the stated aims and objectives of the service. Young people have worked with staff to devise and produce a new young person’s guide for the home. This contains all required information and is set out in a very young-person friendly format. Young people have taken part in the interviews for the new deputy manager recently, devising questions and being part of the interview panels. This, again, reflects their voice in all aspects of how this home is run. They influence the care and support they receive to a very high level.

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Outstanding

An independent person visits the home every month to consider all aspects of the care and support provided to young people and how this improves their outcomes. Reports from those visits inform the manager of any potential areas in need of change and also inform her action and development plans for the home. An independent advocate also visits the home each month, to offer support and advice to young people. Such support is invaluable, particularly for those young people who have limited contact with family members.

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Outstanding

Staff and managers act as highly positive advocates for young people. They work tirelessly to ensure that young people’s needs are met in all areas of their lives. They support them to apply for paid and voluntary work in the local community. They promote their educational attendance and achievement to an exceptional level. For many young people, they did not think that they would complete formal examinations or be able to move on to college. There are now several young people living in this home who have achieved these goals. The futures for young people are considerably enhanced and improved, through the support they receive from staff and a growing belief in themselves.

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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 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, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for children looked after 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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