Children's home in Stockport

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness . One young person continues to make good, steady progress in all aspects of his development. He receives the support that he needs to enjoy time with friends, maintain appropriate contact with family and achieve well at school. He has good relationships with the staff team. Another young person has been admitted to the home since the last inspection. The transition was well planned, and good-quality information was shared with the staff team before his admission. A clear compatibility risk assessment was completed, in line with a recommendation from the last inspection. This has assisted the team to provide tailored support that meets his needs. His social worker recognises that he has settled well into the home and is more relaxed than in his previous placement. There has been a significant reduction in the number of

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

times when he has been missing. Early signs are that he is safer and at less risk in the community. The child says he likes the home, feels safe here and enjoys the activities and outings that staff provide. Two young people have left the home since the last inspection. Their transitions have been satisfactorily managed. One had a planned move to a semi-independent living placement. The move was brought forward when the young person began increasingly to stay out overnight, with friends. The placing authority and the home’s manager recognised that he was ready to move on and was no longer benefitting from his placement in this children’s home. Staff assisted him through the transition, which was smooth and well managed. The second young person had not settled well at the home, despite a well-planned admission and careful placement planning. He did not engage in the life of the home and was clearly not happy there. This was recognised quickly and an

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

alternative placement was sought. The home served 28 day’s notice to prevent drift in the placement, and the young person moved to a more suitable children’s home at the end of that period. Although the transition from the home was well planned to include a visit, the child was anxious about the move, did not want to look at the welcome booklet and chose not to visit the new home. The manager and a member of staff accompanied him to his new placement, providing the best level of support they could in these circumstances. For the most part, staff form good, supportive relationships with children. A social worker commented: ‘He has very good relationship[s] with staff. They know him well and are committed to him. He is a very guarded young person and they get a lot out of him. I have observed very positive interactions. They do a lot to engage him. ’ The manager is responsible for this and another home and is assisted in leading a

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

strong and well-qualified staff team by a dedicated assistant manager. Shortfalls in practice are identified by the independent person who regularly visits the home and reports to the provider on the quality of care and children’s safety. Although the manager takes action to address actions raised, this is not always in a timely way and these reports highlight ongoing shortfalls in records of serious incidents, including restraints and a lack of timeliness in the manager’s evaluation of these incidents. Despite this, there are no concerns about the way in which the home manages serious incidents. Missing-from-care records are well maintained and demonstrate that the home takes swift and positive action to promote the safe return of any missing child. It liaises effectively with partner agencies, children’s families and friends and the police. It encourages children to engage in return interviews offered by an

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

independent organisation. However, the small reduction in missing incidents is not sufficient to show noteworthy improvement. The manager has completed a six-monthly report on the quality of care and children’s experiences and progress, which identifies in detail how children have made progress in the home. It does not show that children’s views have contributed to the review or ways in which they have helped to identify service developments. Nor does it demonstrate that the manager has analysed the impact of shortfalls in practice, such as the ongoing challenges of ensuring that all staff receive regular, one-to-one supervision and attend monthly team meetings. This reduces the usefulness of this report as a monitoring tool. Day-to-day monitoring of the service has led to the manager making improvements to the quality of care. For example, due to a number of assaults on female staff, the rota has been changed so that there is always a male member of staff on duty

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

alongside a female carer and, although it is early days, this appears to have reduced the level of aggression towards and assaults on female staff. Two new staff members have been appointed, reducing the home’s reliance on agency staff to meet the rota. The home has been redecorated, so that it continues to provide pleasant, homely accommodation. Damage to property is quickly repaired so that children’s safety and welfare is not compromised. It is clear that staff are doing their best to support a child with an autistic spectrum disorder, particularly with his emerging sexuality and with the development of appropriate social skills. The manager is making efforts to get additional support for this child from mental health professionals, the youth engagement service and the youth offending service. However, a recommendation made at the full inspection, in relation to improving staff competence in supporting children on the

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

autistic spectrum has not been met. Staff have not received the specialist training they need, nor have they received positive behaviour support from trained professionals. No specialist tools or resources suitable for use with autistic children have been utilised. Sadly, the child has continued to present behaviour that staff struggle to manage. Injuries to female staff have continued and have led to charges for assault so that the child is now facing criminal court proceedings. Attempts to support him to establish and maintain good self-care skills have also been unsuccessful. It is recognised by all professionals that the child is inappropriately placed at the home. Attempts to find an alternative suitable placement have been hindered by delays in the completion of assessments by partner agencies to better identify his needs. The home and placing authority recognise that it is in his best interests to

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

maintain this placement as he is approaching adulthood, and a short-term move would simply unsettle him. Adult services have become involved at an early stage to help plan a move to a suitable adult provision as soon as possible. In the short term, the home has taken action to sustain the child’s placement and to provide stability for him. This includes a decision not to admit any more children until he has left. It has increased staffing levels and implemented sufficient holding strategies to help staff to manage the three current children safely, including keeping them apart as much as possible. While the situation is not ideal, it demonstrates the home’s commitment to the child. More now needs to be done to support staff to meet his individual, complex needs. The home’s collaborative working with partner agencies is mostly strong. The manager requests and contributes to strategy meetings when children’s safety and

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

welfare is a concern. She influences care-planning decisions and appropriately urges other professionals to meet their responsibilities to children. She ensures that children who need independent advocacy receive it. However, there are small weaknesses in communication with social workers so that not all social workers are confident that they are kept fully up to date with children’s progress.

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Information about this children's home

The home is a partnership home, managed by a charity on behalf of a local authority. It provides care and accommodation for up to four children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

30/09/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

26/06/2014 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that must be taken so that the registered persons meet 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

35: Behaviour management policies and records (3) The registered person must ensure that (b) within 48 hours of the use of a measure of control or restraint, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (‘the authorised person’) (i) has spoken to the user about the measure; and (ii) has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and (c) within five days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. 24/09/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Ensure that staff have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to help children to manage long-term conditions and, when necessary, meet specific needs arising from a disability, chronic condition or other complex need, including autism spectrum disorders. In particular, ensure that staff are supported to understand and help children to manage their anxieties and oppositional defiant behaviour. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, Page 34, paragraph 7.12)  Ensure that the registered person's review of the quality of care takes into account the feedback and opinions of children about the children's home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive, and that the report shows an evaluation of the impact that the care is having on outcomes and improvements

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Recommendations

for the children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.2)

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection, we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the ‘Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection’.

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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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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, 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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