Children's Home run by Care Focus Limited in Essex

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged outstanding at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The two admissions and two discharges mean that there have been some changes in the group since the last inspection. Those moving on to more independent arrangements receive tailored and individualised guidance and support from the caring and committed staff team. They leave with mementos and visual reminders of their experiences. This helps them to manage this significant transition and offers the chance to reflect on the opportunities that living in the home provides. One child, following the local authority care plan, left recently. She contacted the team to say: ‘I miss the home.’ Following an incident in the home, one child left without notice. She moved to other provision within the group. This decision enabled staff in the home to contribute to her new placement plan.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children new to this home and to residential settings take time to adjust. Supportively, staff make clear the expectation that all children will take an active role within the household. One child said: ‘I just don’t like it here.’ However, many settle and develop the ability to reflect on their experiences and progress. One child said: ‘When I first came, I was very angry. I would hit out and hurt the staff a lot. I would not listen, because I was used to doing what I wanted. But that was running away and being on the streets. Being here has changed my life and helped me to see lots of things. Like, that violence is not the answer, and that I have a chance to get my life on track.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

During the school term, the children receive education in the home from qualified teachers. Additionally, for the duration of lessons, the children receive support in the classroom from the care staff. There is a well-defined belief among the adults in the network that the children will attend and that they will achieve. Staff patiently yet firmly coax and cajole reluctant individuals, who do begin to engage, incrementally. The result is that those who have previously refused or have experienced gaps in their education sit GCSE exams in a range of subjects, including maths, English, art, health and social care, and science. One child, moving into Year 11, said: ‘My plan is to make sure that I am studying for the seven GCSEs that I will sit next year. The staff are great. They help us in the classroom and make sure that we get our homework done.’ Additionally, many attend activities in the local community, such as army cadets and gymnastics. This

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

helps to normalise these children’s experiences by providing them with the opportunity to build friendships with children not looked after.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

During school holidays, each child enjoys and benefits from a plethora of activities in the home and in the community, such as visiting national attractions, playing board games and hunting for bugs in the garden. All of this happens with the staff. Some go on individualised holidays. Many of the staff ‘go above and beyond’ to ensure that each child stays safe, has fun and has opportunities to try new things, for example street dancing and swimming in the sea. This helps those who have missed out on age-appropriate recreational experiences to enjoy being children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Individualised plans enable staff to work cohesively to ensure that the personal needs of each child are identified, assessed and evaluated. This means that the team works responsively, and quickly comes to know each child’s personality, strengths and areas of potential or actual concern. One child said: ‘The staff are really good at seeing what we need, sometimes before we see that for ourselves. So, if we need therapy, they will get that for us. If we have any health needs, they will make sure that those are sorted out. If we need help with our diets, they will give us lots of different foods to try. They are amazing and so organised.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Central to the home’s success, the registered manager continues in post. The quality standard from the full inspection is met. This means that the manager ensures that appraisal information is available to her, in the event of staff from other homes in the group coming to do shifts. Her nurturing and insightful approach ensures that the ethos described in the statement of purpose prevails. Children do complain, and she ensures that she provides a clear response as well as taking additional time with each child to listen to and understand their point of view.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff encounter and work through a diverse range of situations and incidents. For example, some children disclose historical information of concern. Staff attend to these situations receptively, as a concerned parent would, and efficiently pass the information to other stakeholders for their assessment and action.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

On one occasion, two children caused significant damage within the home. Together, they broke glass and wrote on some walls. To stop the rampage, the registered manager came into the home and, after consideration, appropriately called the police. Staff from other homes in the group arrived to ensure that the children who were not involved remained with an adult throughout. Afterwards, the registered manager persevered to ensure that the children participated in reparation. One child said: ‘I don’t know why they did that. But I do know that they regretted what they did and that they know that they should not have caused that damage to our home. During it all, staff sat with each of us to keep us safe and take our minds off what was happening.’ External managers acted quickly to ensure that damage was repaired, walls were repainted and household items replaced. The result is an overall improvement to the homely communal areas.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This means that there are occasions when staff deal with challenging behaviour, yet they pull together and draw upon the assistance of others, working hard to keep the children safe and encourage them to learn from their conduct.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Overall, staff do manage challenge well and effectively. They use their training to control conflict and often employ humour to distract and diffuse potentially volatile scenarios. When safe to do so, and as a last resort, they do use physical intervention. Records show that this is to prevent children from causing harm to themselves or to other people. While records do meet regulations, some that were sampled do not provide sufficient information. This is because some of the records fail to detail the precise nature of the hold used which, in turn, does not demonstrate that staff recognise that the children are continuing to develop, both physically and emotionally. In addition, it does not show that each child has a unique understanding of their circumstances affecting their response to restraint. In the event of human error, this leaves those records, and therefore staff practice, open to the interpretation of the children and key stakeholders.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been no matters reaching safeguarding thresholds in this home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Going missing is a rare occurrence. The few incidents represent an impressive decline from children’s starting points, therefore the concern about their potential for exploitation within wider society is sharply reduced. For example, one child with a considerable history went missing during family contact. Notably, of her own volition, she returned a short time later to the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

On the occasions when other children leave the home without permission, staff follow them and keep them in sight. This angers some children in the moment, but results in each individual’s safe and expedient return to the home. One child said: ‘ I think that, if I was not here now, I would have a tag or be in a cell somewhere.’ This means that some children can see the positive difference that living in this home makes.

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Information about this children's home

One of a small group, this privately run home is registered to provide care 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

11/08/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Ensure that records accurately reflect the holds used in restraint and recognise that children are continuing to develop, both physically and emotionally. Any use of restraint should be suitable for the needs of the individual child. The context in which restraint is used should also recognise that, as a result of past experiences, children will have a unique understanding of their circumstances which will affect their response to restraint by adults responsible for their care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 48, paragraph 9.54)

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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 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 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 ‘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 .

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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 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

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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