Children's home in Westminster

Outstanding

The children's home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the home contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 Young people in this home are making exceptional progress from their starting points. They are achieving in education and they are benefiting from work experience and voluntary work.  Young people have ambitious plans for the future and are being supported to gain life experiences and social skills to help them to succeed.  Records and plans are child centred. They are underpinned by young people’s views and contributions. Young people influence and contribute to residents’ meetings, to recruitment of staff and to the home’s development plan.  Young people are safer as a result of the care that they receive, and risk- taking behaviours have significantly reduced.  The manager is an experienced, thoughtful leader of a conscientious, committed team. Young people benefit from positive, stable relationships with staff and peers.  There are effective partnership working practices in place. Managers use a

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

range of quality assurance mechanisms to review and continuously improve outcomes for young people, staff performance and the development of the service.  This inspection has identified some shortfalls that have not impacted on the outstanding experiences of the young people. Managers must ensure that they have essential information from the start, when a young person is admitted to the home. In addition, when there is delay in sharing information, they need to strengthen the challenge to responsible professionals.

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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

14(2) In order to meet the care planning standard, the registered person should ensure

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Requirement Due date

(C) that each child’s relevant plans are followed 03/10/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  The registered person must challenge (under regulation 5(c)) any placing authority that asks them to accept a child in the absence of a complete and relevant plan, as the expectation that a placement of a child would go ahead (in circumstances other than an emergency) is inadequate in relation to their role. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.5)

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Information about this children's home

This children’s home is privately owned and is registered to care for five young people 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

21/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Outstanding

Young people in this home are making exceptional progress from their starting points. They all maintain positive, nurturing relationships with staff and with peers. One young person said: ‘We are proud of this home. It does feel like a family living here. I have lots of positive memories of living at Holly House and I am looking forward to making some more.’ Young people are making excellent progress with their education. Staff support their attendance and liaise closely with all the education providers. They proactively resolve any difficulties and, as a result, young people continue to make progress. Young people have arrangements in place for next term; they have been accepted at colleges for vocational and academic courses. They are ambitious and looking forward to the next steps in their lives. All of the young people take part in a range of activities. One young person has successfully completed the national citizen service this summer, which included

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Outstanding

team-building exercises, voluntary work in a children’s centre and raising funds for charity. They have all undertaken voluntary work in the community. Two young people have received really positive feedback, following successful work placements, and have gone on to make arrangements for further voluntary work. It is clear that the young people are making a positive contribution to their community, supported by staff. Two of the young people have pets, and have demonstrated maturity and a willingness to learn, in looking after them responsibly. Staff have supported young people to make sensible decisions about balancing revision for examinations with activities and opportunities for experiences that will help their applications for training and courses in the future. The information and records reviewed during this inspection were child centred, underpinned by young people’s views and contributions. They demonstrate the

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Outstanding

enhanced confidence and social skills of the young people. Young people lead and contribute to residents’ meetings. They have contributed in the recruitment of staff, and to the home’s development plan. This shows that the managers and staff listen too, and value, young people’s opinions and views. Young people report that they enjoy activities together. There are photographs of days out and activities in the home, creating a family living environment. They were consulted about holidays, and some are going to Spain and some to France. Staff have planned these very carefully with the young people and shared information with social workers. Staff proactively promote contact with families and peers. Families are invited to meals at the home, and activities are organised with siblings. Young people have detailed health plans, and staff work with them to raise awareness about preventative health. As a result, they continue to make positive

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Outstanding

lifestyle choices and experience improved health. There is an accredited package of independence skills available to young people in this home that will support them to gain accommodation and employment when they are moving on. From the start, young people learn to take responsibility for their rooms. They are encouraged to learn life skills, for example doing their laundry, cooking and ironing. Young people told the inspector that they are proud of the home and want to maintain it nicely. They also enjoy activities, such as cooking with staff and learning new recipes. A social worker said: ’This young person has continued to make excellent progress. She has developed into a mature, lovely young woman, making some really sensible decisions. I know she is looking forward to the future now and has confidence in what she can achieve.’

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Good

Young people report that they feel safe and have significantly reduced the risks they expose themselves too, as a result of the care that they receive in this home. Behaviour and risk management plans clearly identify the individual risks and vulnerabilities young people have. These provide clear guidance for staff in how to keep young people safe, which they implement well. Examples of where this has worked well are that young people have reduced and subsequently ceased substance misuse, risk-taking behaviours and aggressive behaviours. Staff work sensitively and effectively with young people, to address self-harming behaviours and vulnerability to exploitation. They also consult with relevant specialist services, such as the child and adolescent mental health service, to ensure that young people’s needs are identified and met. There have been very few missing episodes and unauthorised absences. If young

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Good

people do not return to the home as planned, staff are proactive in contacting them, and looking for them. When young people have stayed with family, staff undertake safe and well checks and ensure that routines are maintained. Staff work closely with the police and youth offending teams, to ensure that offending behaviour reduces and young people are kept safe. Staff share information with young people in key-working sessions, to enhance their understanding of risks, for example around the risks linked to the use of social media, or exploitative relationships. As a result, young people’s knowledge and understanding are enhanced, and they can make informed choices. There have been no allegations of harm and no complaints since the interim inspection in January. There has been one incident of physical intervention to prevent a young person from harming another. This was well recorded and was reviewed by the manager. This reflects the established positive relationships in the

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Good

home, and the way in which staff carefully and effectively manage challenging behaviours. One young person said: ‘Sometimes, I like my own space and everyone respects that.’ Positive behaviours and choices are consistently reinforced and celebrated by all staff. Young people receive incentives for positive behaviour, and this is explained during the admissions process. Two young people have raised concerns about not feeling settled in the home during a particular period of time. This was linked to changes in the group at the time, and the behaviours of one young person. The registered manager has reflected on this with the staff team. There has been some learning about having the right information and contingency plans in place from the start of a new placement. The impact has been limited, and young people have continued to make progress and are benefitting from stable relationships. The management team in this home robustly follows up any concerns raised by young people.

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Good

A manager said: ‘One young person did have a difficult period at the time of exams, but staff persevered, continued to offer unconditional support, and the young person has come out of it with more resilience and resolve to do well in the future.’ Judgement grade

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Good

The manager is an experienced and skilled leader, who prioritises positive relationships with, and between, the young people. She said: ‘They are all unique, confident individuals who have demonstrated that, even though they have experienced difficulties in the past, they are making good choices and have established strong, stable relationships.’ The management team and staff have excellent working relationships with all of the agencies and significant others in each young person’s network. They are conscientious at keeping partners up to date. Weekly summaries are shared with social workers and families. Managers attend multi-agency meetings, contributing to continuous assessment and decision-making. Staff and managers advocate and challenge on young people’s behalf. They have helped to prepare and sustain relationships with family members. They also influence other professionals to be child focussed.

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Good

The staff group is aspirational for young people. Staff support and encourage them to take part in voluntary work and online learning, to develop their confidence and add value to applications for training, education and employment. Young people also have opportunities to have fun, such as a development day, when teams of staff and young people participated in an escape-themed resource. Young people contribute to their plans. They comment on their progress and agree targets for future progress. One young person commented about their progress: ‘It is all good in the hood.’ Managers are confident about their understanding of young people’s needs and the progress that they are making. They use information from a range of quality assurance mechanisms effectively, to assess progress of young people and staff and identify areas for development. Staff report that they receive skilled supervision that includes time for reflective

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Good

practice and agrees actions and performance targets. Managers receive individual supervisions with senior managers and group supervision with peers. They report that their managers are supportive. There is a culture of not waiting for formal supervision but asking for advice and guidance when it is needed, and this being welcomed by all managers. There have been limited sickness and vacancies, which are managed effectively. There is consistent cover in place to support positive relationships and care arrangements. The registered manager values training and ensures that the team’s practice is informed by research, policy and evidence-based practice. She shares up-to-date information in team meetings, using different methods, such as quizzes and online learning. Staff receive a high level of training and development opportunities. This inspection identified that there was some learning for the staff group and

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Good

manager regarding the placement of one young person in the home, who has since moved on. This was a planned short term placement. However the manager accepts that insufficient information was shared by the placing local authority prior to the placement, and that there was delay in progressing this young person’s plans. The impact of this, was that other young people in the home became unsettled at that time. A requirement is made to reflect this. In addition, a recommendation has been made, relating to the same issue. This is that when there is delay in sharing information that may impact on progressing plans, the manager strengthens the challenge to responsible professionals.

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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’.

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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

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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.

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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 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

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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 .

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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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