New Park Project (The)

Good

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

p.2

The children’s home provision is good because:

 The home has a stable, experienced and caring staff team who provide good- quality care and always place the young people’s needs first.  The staff and the present group of young people have very positive, respectful relationships.  The home has made a significant difference to the young people’s lives, in particular by supporting them to re-establish themselves in education.  Some of the young people have made good progress in other areas of their lives, for example in gaining independence skills and reducing the incidence of self-harm.  The young people are actively supported to participate in the local community, through voluntary and paid work. They engage in a variety of rewarding activities that help to increase their confidence and self-esteem.  The manager and staff team work well with local authority social workers, the police and education professionals to achieve the best possible outcomes for

p.3

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.

p.4

The quality and purpose of care standard

In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, with particular reference to:  ensuring that the young people receive child-centred key worker sessions;  ensuring that the young people’s records are organised so that they provide consistent, accessible and accurate information; and  upgrading the quality of the accommodation to promote a homely, comfortable, domestic environment for the young people which supports them as they work towards independence, the registered person must ensure that staff: 6(b)(iv) provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background; (v) help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect; (vi) help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

p.4

The quality and purpose of care standard

(vii) provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably; (viii) provide to children personal items that are appropriate for their age and understanding; and (c) ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to— 15/09/2016 (i) meet the needs of each child; and (ii) enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home.

p.4

13: The leadership and management standard

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, with particular reference to ensuring that:  the placements of any young people who repeatedly engage in behaviour that places them and others at risk of harm are kept under systematic review;  staff complete their qualification at level 3 before the date specified in regulation; and  the staff and managers are effectively supported in their work by fully functioning IT systems, the registered person must ensure that they: 13.—(1) enable, inspire and lead 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— (a) lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s Statement of Purpose; (c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills

p.5

13: The leadership and management standard

to meet the needs of each child; (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; (g) demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on— (i) research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 15/09/2016

p.5

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account recommendations:

p.6

Recommendations

Ensure that children are provided with nutritious meals suitable for each child’s needs. In particular, continue to promote healthy eating, including the consumption of at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.8)

p.6

Recommendations

Ensure that the children’s home provides a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of the children; in particular:

p.6

Recommendations

 repair and redecorate the damaged areas of the home  review the arrangements for ensuring privacy in a bedroom which currently has opaque glass in the windows  provide blackout curtains for any young person who requests them.

p.6

Recommendations

(‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

p.6

Recommendations

Ensure that children have access to a computer and the internet to support their education and learning, unless there are specific safeguarding reasons why this would be inappropriate. In such cases, the home should consider whether and how it can support the child to access a computer and the internet safely. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 29, paragraph 5.19)

p.6

Recommendations

Ensure that the company maintains good employment practice. The registered person must ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguard children and minimise potential risks to them. In particular, ensure that, where one or more of the applicant’s written references provide insufficient information to support their appointment, supplementary references are taken up. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

p.6

Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home is one of a group of five operated by the same company, which is based in the south of England. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children and young people who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

p.7

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.7

Recent inspection history

26/01/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

p.7

Recent inspection history

13/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.7

Good

The home provides supportive, consistent and good-quality care for the young people. Most of the recent residents have been able to respond to the care provided and improve their life chances.

p.8

Good

Of the four young people who have lived there since the previous inspection, one has made exceptionally good progress. One young person’s sense of security, and consequently their progress, is being hampered by care planning factors, including a lack of purpose and structure around contact. This is largely outside the home’s control, but the staff are advocating for the young person to help move this forward.

p.8

Good

One young person has very recently been admitted to the home and is still settling down. He has already made progress in attending an educational resource. One former resident struggled to engage with the staff team, activities or any plans for their future. The staff worked hard to help and support this young person, but eventually their behaviour led to the placement being concluded.

p.8

Good

The home has a stable team of committed, enthusiastic staff, the majority of whom are very experienced and hold the relevant qualifications in the care of children and young people. The staff generally work in a child-focused way and show resilience when some of the young people challenge them. For example, the registered manager went to visit in custody a resident whose placement was at risk of ending prematurely. The manager reached an agreement with this young person about how their behaviour would have to change. The staff did manage to engage this young person to some extent in an educational programme, when it would have been easier to end the placement. This shows their commitment and dedication to the young people.

p.8

Good

The young people’s health is good, and the staff ensure that they are all registered with local doctors, dentists and opticians. The local child and adolescent mental health service is made available to support the young people if they are ready to engage in therapeutic work. The staff team also has access to an experienced child therapist who specialises in working with and training professionals to support children with attachment disorders.

p.8

Good

The young people are offered a range of interesting individual and group activities, and during the inspection all went together to a motorbike event. Physical activity is encouraged and supported, and some young people belong to the gym and go swimming.

p.8

Good

Some of the young people have made very good progress with their education since admission to the home. The manager and staff support them very effectively, attend alternative education provisions with them and join in with their activities there. One of the young people goes to a working smallholding and is learning maintenance tasks, and one member of staff has been designated to go with him each day to support him. This appears to be working well and the young person is now interested in going to college to learn more about practical outdoor tasks.

p.9

Good

Another young person worked his way back into his school following exclusion, and has now taken several GCSE exams. He also hopes to go to college in September to study IT. This young person has had two voluntary jobs, and continues to work at a local gym. The registered manager has supported this commitment by using small financial incentives to encourage the young person.

p.9

Good

The registered manager has specific skills in helping the young people to prepare for independence. One resident, who has been living in the home for nearly two years, has become very confident in using public transport and managing their own voluntary work. This young person has just bought a very impressive-looking scooter, and staff were helping him to ensure that it is fully roadworthy before he starts to ride it. During the inspection, the young person was very responsibly obtaining and comparing prices for the necessary maintenance work.

p.9

Good

The home has been registered for many years, and standards of care, as well as the complexity of some young people’s needs, have changed. Consequently, the premises now need updating and improving. At the previous full inspection, the registered manager outlined her plans to redevelop the kitchen and staff office to better utilise the limited space available. Eight months later, these plans have not come to fruition, largely due to building construction issues. The provider is currently considering various options, but a requirement has been made to ensure that a decision is reached soon. This will enable either the service to move to new premises, or the necessary works to this house to be taken forward.

p.9

Good

The lack of progress in redeveloping the kitchen has an impact on the home’s capacity to help the young people work towards independence. There is insufficient space in the present kitchen for several young people to prepare food at the same time. A requirement has been made.

p.9

Good

The staff encourage the young people to bake cakes and prepare meals, and most receive a healthy diet. Good-quality food is offered each day, but some of the young people choose to eat a diet that does not supply them with the nutrition that they need. A recommendation has been made. Judgement grade

p.9

Good

The present group of young people are safe in the home. The young people regard the house as a refuge and a place of security. Although they feel more comfortable speaking to certain individuals on the staff team, the young people say that they can confide in the adults in the home. The home supports any young people who raise complaints or concerns. The registered manager prefers to speak informally to the young people to resolve any difficulties. The young people feel listened to and their concerns are acknowledged. For example, one young person reported that that some personal items had gone missing from their bedroom; during the inspection, these were retrieved and restored to their owner. There are clear behavioural boundaries and expectations. The young people understand the rules of the home and the staff work together as a team to reinforce decisions made. During the inspection, the staff and manager were

p.10

Good

helping a young person to understand why they could not simply be given money on request. This situation was managed firmly, but with good humour. The home operates a system of restorative justice, using rewards as an incentive for positive behaviour. The staff manage the young people’s behaviour safely, and only seek police assistance in situations where it is really necessary. This avoids the unnecessary criminalisation of the young people. The registered manager ensures that well-constructed risk assessments are in place for each young person, and also to evaluate the impact of any new admission. She is well able to turn away referrals for any prospective new residents where she has assessed that their introduction to the home would be detrimental to the group. The manager is well aware of the home’s strengths and areas of vulnerability, and chooses new residents accordingly. The registered manager works effectively with external agencies to help manage

p.10

Good

any identified risks to the young people. For example, there were regular risk management meetings with regard to former residents who used to go missing frequently. The home also works well with Ofsted and uses the notification system appropriately. Although there have been a large number of missing from home incidents since the interim inspection, these almost all relate to one young person who is no longer living in the home. The current residents are only rarely absent from the home without consent. Only one young person has unsupervised time at present, and he uses this time very responsibly. Until recently, the home had difficulty in obtaining support from the placing authorities to conduct return home interviews within the 72 hours specified in the statutory guidance. In recent weeks, this has been resolved and a national charity now undertakes these interviews. One previous resident’s traumatic life experiences led them into serious risk-taking

p.10

Good

behaviours. When they reached the age of 16, they no longer wanted to live in a children’s home and their behaviour deteriorated sharply. The registered manager responded to this young person’s very complex needs and was keen to maintain them at the home for as long as possible. Her commitment to this young person was commendable, but due to their use of street drugs and offences, it became unsafe for them to remain in this children’s home. Some of the young people in the home have been physically restrained, but these incidents are rare. When restraint is necessary, it is conducted appropriately, for short duration and is well recorded. Physical interventions are closely monitored and the young people are debriefed afterwards. The company recruits staff through its head office, and generally this is a robust process. Only one new member of staff has started work since the recruitment files were last inspected. The file contained all the relevant documentation in line with

p.11

Good

Schedule 2 of the Children’s Homes Regulations 2015. One of the written references was very sparse in content. The company did not take up a third reference to obtain the information it needed. A recommendation has been made. There have been no child protection concerns since the previous inspection. The staff are well trained in safeguarding and understand how to respond if any safeguarding matters arise. The registered manager has strong links with the police and local authority designated officers for child protection in the authorities which place children in this home. One young person has a history of being at risk through social media activity, and the home has tried, without success, to monitor computer use. The response to this area of vulnerability has been to terminate all internet activity for that young person, but as they are about to go to mainstream school, it will not be possible to

p.11

Good

prevent internet access when they have contact with peers there. The young person has received bespoke training in online safety, but with limited engagement. A recommendation has been made to support further education in online safety before the young person progresses to a less restricted environment. Although there are concerns about the quality of the physical environment raised elsewhere in this report, the home does provide a safe place for the young people to live. There are separate door alarms on each bedroom, which are only used if the young people need this protection. There was a misleading comment in the Statement of Purpose regarding these alarms. This had been raised as a recommendation at some of the company’s other homes, but it was identified and removed from the document during the inspection. The home conducts regular health and safety checks and ensures that fire detection equipment is working properly. Currently, fire drills are carried out on the

p.11

Good

same day of each month. The registered manager said that she would vary this in future.

p.12

Requires improvement

The home’s leaders and managers have not actioned the plans made before the previous full inspection to improve the quality, function and purpose of the accommodation in the home. In addition, the décor is outdated and there has been considerable damage to the fabric of the building in recent weeks, which has outstripped the maintenance team’s capacity to repair it.

p.12

Requires improvement

Tensions between two of the young people over the past few days have resulted in someone punching a hole in the second floor bathroom door. Previous incidents involving a former resident have caused serious damage to the plasterwork around the office door frame, so that bare brick is exposed. The constant sight of damage and poor décor in the home does not help the young people to feel valued.

p.12

Requires improvement

One of the young people’s bedrooms has opaque glass in the window, which was fitted to ensure privacy, but has the unwanted side-effect of preventing the occupant from looking out.

p.12

Requires improvement

The ground floor and first floor shower and toilet facilities for the young people and staff require remodelling and updating.

p.12

Requires improvement

Some of the young people are keen to see the lounge redecorated, and agree with the manager that there could be better use of space in the home. The galley kitchen is suitable for baking activities or for meal preparation in a home with fewer residents and staff, but cannot meet the needs of several young people who need to store food and prepare and cook meals for themselves as part of their independence programmes.

p.12

Requires improvement

The young people have pleasant and attractive bedrooms with sufficient space for their personal possessions. They can choose their own décor. The Regulation 44 independent visitor has recommended that blackout curtains are fitted to help the young people to sleep. During the inspection, one young person specifically requested these curtains, so the manager said she would provide them.

p.12

Requires improvement

The home has an experienced and skilled registered manager who has over 10 years’ experience in social care. She holds NVQ at level 4 in the care of children and young people, but in spite of being registered for several years, she is not yet qualified in management. The latest deadline for completion of this qualification is April 2017.

p.13

Requires improvement

One member of staff, who was appointed in 2012, has still not completed their level 3 award in the care of children and young people.

p.13

Requires improvement

The registered manger needs to keep high-risk placements under closer and more structured review following the unplanned ending of one young person’s time at the home.

p.13

Requires improvement

The home has adopted an electronic recording system which has considerable potential to provide accurate, up-to-date records that support the young people’s care needs effectively. However, some records are still on paper files. In addition, healthcare plans were out of date and did not reflect the young people’s situations with full accuracy, for example the fact that some are on certain medication that is administered by professionals outside the home.

p.13

Requires improvement

Access to the electronic records is hampered by ineffective hardware. The overall impact is that it wis difficult to access the young people’s information, which means that there may be times when the young people cannot access it on request. The need for updated, fully functioning IT systems has been incorporated into the requirement made under Quality Standard 13.

p.13

Requires improvement

Discussion took place during the inspection about the need for key working sessions to reflect the young people’s needs, as some appear exclusively to follow a very adult-centred agenda, such as ‘school attendance’ and ‘behaviour’. This shortfall been incorporated into the requirement made under Quality Standard 6.

p.13

Requires improvement

The home has sufficient staff to meet the present group of young people’s day-to- day needs. The team is a mixture of staff representing different life stages and genders. The young people who spoke with the inspector said that there are some staff that they really like, and they value the time spent with them on activities.

p.13

Requires improvement

The registered manager and staff have very positive relationships with placing authorities and other agencies. This helps them to advocate for the young people when required, and a good example of this was observed during the inspection. One young person’s contact arrangements lack structure and purpose, which is having a negative impact on their anxiety levels and behaviour. The staff have been working to bring together the professionals involved into a meeting to discuss how to help this young person.

p.13

Requires improvement

The registered manager says that she receives very good supervision and support from her senior manager. She ensures that her staff receive regular supervision, which is tailored according to their experience and time with the team.

p.14

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’.

p.15

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

p.15

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.

p.15

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 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

p.16

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 .

p.16

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 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,

p.17

Information about this inspection

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

p.17

Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.17

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

p.17