Children's home run by Inmind Childrens Services Limited in Wokingham

This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was completed in response to complaints received by Ofsted about this service and to ascertain if there were any breaches of regulation. The regulatory requirements made at the last inspection remain and, following this monitoring visit, further requirements have been raised.

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This monitoring visit

Young people do not yet benefit from a well-maintained and comfortable environment. There is damage to parts of the building, for example there are broken and cracked windows, a broken fuse-box on the front of the building, poorly fitting damaged interior doors, boards on walls pulled away, gardens overgrown in places, internal dining room chairs used as makeshift garden furniture and cigarette butts discarded and piled up by the front door. There has been a lack of oversight and commitment to maintaining the building so that it provides a homely and welcoming environment for young people. A requirement has been set relating to this.

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This monitoring visit

The managers and staff have not ensured that there are good and consistent approaches to managing young people’s behaviour. Over recent months, there have been a number of worrying incidents regarding the behaviour of some young people. An example was an incident in the local community whereby a physical confrontation took place involving a number of young people from the home and local young people. Some young people are not supported to develop socially aware behaviours, and staff do not pre-empt potential conflict situations arising and implement alternative strategies to diffuse them. Significant improvements are needed in this area and a requirement has been set to reflect this.

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This monitoring visit

The staff respond appropriately when young people leave the home on an unauthorised basis. Staff members will search the local area, contact the police and local authority and make efforts to locate young people. The managers have worked well with local police and use a notification system to inform them of new young people admitted to the home, providing crucial details and information on young people, in the event that they go missing from care. The managers ensure that return interviews are completed following an incident of missing from care. A social worker who had completed such an interview stated: ‘The staff followed procedures correctly.’

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection a number of new young people have come to live at the home, and some have left. Impact assessments, placement plans and risk assessments for young people new to the home are completed, implemented and reviewed. These are overseen by managers and take into account information provided by relevant professionals.

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This monitoring visit

The managers are committed to achieving continuity and sufficiency of staffing to benefit young people, but the service has struggled to recruit and retain a sufficient number of permanent staff members, which has led to inconsistency of care for some young people. Managers have an active recruitment process that is focused upon attracting a good calibre of staff to drive the service forward.

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This monitoring visit

The staff members report that there is a strong team spirit and managers are available and listen to staff. One member of staff stated: ‘It is a pleasure to be here, everyone pulls together well and places young people first.’ Staff members are aware of, and have access to, the service’s whistle-blowing policy and they know how to complain in the event of being concerned about the service.

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This monitoring visit

Young people receive help with psychological and emotional difficulties. A therapist employed by the service provides therapeutic help to young people, giving them the opportunity to talk confidentially about difficult areas of their lives. Additionally, the staff team can access this support should they require.

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This monitoring visit

Some young people have made good progress whilst living at this home. One social worker stated: ‘She does have good relationships with staff and she has made progress since being here.’ For some young people there has been a reduction in missing from care episodes and concerning behaviours with alcohol and drugs, and as a result they are safer.

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Information about this children’s home

The service is a residential school, also registered as a children’s home to provide care for 30 young people in five small homes on one site. One home provides care and accommodation for expectant mothers and young mothers with babies. Another home provides short-term assessment facilities. The service is owned by a private company and provides care for young people who have experienced emotional and psychological trauma.

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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

6: The quality and purpose of care standard In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, the registered person must: (c) ensure that the premises used for the purpose of the home are designed and furnished so as to: (i) meet the needs of each child. 02/09/2016

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Requirement Due date

11: The positive relationship standard In order to meet the positive relationship standard, the registered person must ensure: (a) that staff: (i) meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans (ii) help each child to develop socially aware behaviour. 02/09/2016

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the home since its last Ofsted inspection. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. 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

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

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