Preston Springs Farmhouse

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 new manager and deputy have significantly improved leadership, organisation and consistency in staff practice and staff support since starting in post in June 2016.  The new staff team is well qualified and has a range of previous work experience. Staff are working effectively to meet the identified needs of young people.  The organisation, managers and staff team have successfully stabilised this service. They have identified and addressed previous shortfalls. They have supported a young person, whose needs could no longer be met by the service, to move on.  Young people receive very good support when they move in or leave the home. They are prepared well for their arrival or departure, and this helps to reduce the emotional and social impact of changing placements.  Growing attachments and relationships are seen as central to helping young people come to terms with their previous experiences and to improving their

p.3

The children’s home provision is good because:

emotional well-being.  Young people’s risk-taking behaviours reduce over time, and they become less vulnerable to exploitation or going missing from care.  Young people are not informed in writing of the outcomes of complaints they make.

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

Requirement Due date

39: The registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children. This specifically relates to giving children written feedback with regard to the outcome of their complaint. (Regulation 39(1)) 31/08/16

p.4

Information about this children’s home

This home is registered for three children and young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is owned and managed by a private company.

p.5

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.5

Recent inspection history

15/02/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness

p.5

Recent inspection history

05/03/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

p.5

Good

Young people make good progress in most areas of their lives. The organisation and manager identify when young people’s needs cannot be met. The staff team supports them to move on to services that can better meet those needs. Staff are focused on providing nurturing care, based on individual needs. They have good insight and understanding of young people’s circumstances and backgrounds. Although young people still struggle sometimes, they have some good relationships with staff who are able to positively influence their behaviours and choices. Key workers spend quality time with individual young people to help them with matters that are important to them. For example, they encourage young people to lead healthy lifestyles, exercising and participating in physical activities. They also promote education and academic success. They support young people to visit and start new schools. They facilitate attendance based on young people’s individual

p.6

Good

needs by supporting phased timetables, providing transport and, when appropriate, helping in lessons. As a result of this tailored support, young people make good progress from their starting points. For example, one young person successfully moved on from the home and the organisation’s registered school to a foster placement and mainstream education. Young people are encouraged to overcome their previous difficulties and negative attitudes towards school and education. Some have significant histories of poor attendance and attainment, and staff work hard to develop approaches and arrangements that encourage progress and improvement. Young people still have some difficulties, but they are always encouraged to attend. Staff celebrate, support and build on young people’s experiences. They introduce age-appropriate play that promotes current learning needs. They encourage young people to develop interests and hobbies. They make good use of local facilities and

p.6

Good

attractions as well as being able to access a range of home-based resources and leisure activities. Young people have lots of choice and their preferences are appropriately incorporated into the home’s routines. Young people and their families are valued and listened to. Staff have good insight into the particular needs of young people living a long way from home, and they promote family relationships by providing transport and supervision when necessary. They are good at ensuring that visits take place and are successful. Young people are actively involved in the life of the home. They choose activities, plan menus, and decide on furniture and decor. Young people’s rights are also promoted by the team. Young people know how to complain if they are not happy about something, including knowing how to access external advocacy services if needed. They are listened to, and any complaints are resolved quickly. However,

p.6

Good

young people do not receive a formal letter detailing the outcome of an investigation. Young people’s arrivals at and departures from the home are well managed. Staff start to build relationships with young people before they arrive by visiting them where they are currently living and encouraging them to visit the home. This helps young people settle in to the home when they do move in. Staff encourage young people to learn age-appropriate life skills. Young people see this as a normal part of the day, as well as being enjoyable. Staff also promote risk-assessed independence, which is gradually increased as young people become more trusting. Staff help young people to move on and away from the home in line with their plans. This is achieved with sensitive support.

p.7

Good

After the last inspection, the organisation’s operational managers identified that the service could no longer meet the needs of a particular young person and that she was placing other young people at risk. Notice was given on her placement and the staff team supported her effectively to move on. The staff team has focused successfully on stabilising the behaviours and safety of the other young people living at the home. Since June 2016, the newly appointed managers and staff team have introduced new routines and strategies that clearly identify risks and how to reduce them. They ensure that they work in partnership with external agencies and undertake work with young people to ensure that they understand the impact of their behaviours. When inappropriate or high-risk behaviours continue, ongoing work is undertaken that promotes opportunities for change. As a result, there has been a significant reduction in incidents involving the police, and there have been no

p.7

Good

missing from care incidents since April 2016. Behaviour is well managed and there has been a reduction in the use of physical interventions. Staff use incentives, positive relationships and role modelling, rather than consequences, to achieve positive outcomes. Young people learn to socialise and communicate emotions. Staff support them to develop coping strategies. Managers and staff manage safeguarding allegations effectively and there is good awareness of whistle-blowing procedures. Staff receive regular safeguarding training, which covers a range of topics, including children missing from home and child sexual exploitation. The home’s environment is safe, welcoming and homely. Previous damage to the home has been repaired and areas that were tired and worn have been revamped. The manager and staff team have involved young people in this process and everyone is proud of what they have achieved so far.

p.7

Good

Young people’s safety is further protected by well-established recruitment procedures that ensure that only suitable people are employed to work at the home. The home has effective systems in place to monitor and maintain good standards of health and safety. This includes ensuring that equipment and utilities are checked and serviced regularly, that fire prevention systems are in good working order and that practice fire drills are undertaken regularly. Young people live in a home where their health and safety are fully protected.

p.8

Good

The home has had a change of manager and deputy. The previous registered manager resigned in May 2016. The current manager and deputy have been in post since June 2016. The new manager is in the process of applying to be registered with Ofsted. She holds a level 5 diploma in leadership in children and young people’s health and social care and has substantial relevant experience within residential childcare. Independent monitoring reports and the service’s development plan demonstrate that the manager and deputy have a strong understanding of the service’s shortfalls, where improvements need to be made and how these are going to be achieved. They have successfully achieved the actions they identified in their initial action plan and they have met all Ofsted’s previous requirements. They are developing and supporting a staff team also recruited at the beginning of June 2016 to strengthen the service. As a result, staff have excellent understanding of

p.8

Good

the individual needs of the young people at the home and the reasons behind certain behaviour. There are good systems in place that enable the managers and staff to assess the impact of their care and support on the progress young people make. Staff are taking pride in seeing the service and young people develop and progress. Most staff are qualified. Those who are unqualified are within regulatory timescales to obtain their qualifications within two years of starting work. Staff are supported to develop their practice through training, clinician-facilitated meetings, structured team meetings and supervision. All this enables them to reflect on their practice, discuss how well the young people are progressing and offer challenge. The service provided by the home is accurately described in the statement of purpose and young people’s guide. Young people are well informed about what to expect from the staff team and what is expected from them. The guide provides a

p.8

Good

good description of the home’s commitment to promoting young people’s rights and entitlements. The new managers have worked hard to build good relationships with partner agencies. All are positive about the quality of communication and commitment of the managers and staff team to the progress of young people. The current managers and staff team have demonstrated to the home’s monthly visitor, placing social workers and the regulator, Ofsted, that the home has improved. The manager is progressing her application to register with Ofsted and the staff team is working to sustain and build on young people’s engagement and progress. Overall, good progress has been made to stabilise this service.

p.9

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.10

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.10

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.10

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.11

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 .

p.11

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,

p.12

Information about this inspection

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

p.12

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.12

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.12