Children's Home run by Future In Mind Limited in Staffordshire

Good

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

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The children’s home provision is good because:

 The manager and staff team are skilled and knowledgeable and are suitably qualified. They know and understand the needs of each young person.  Staff levels are good. There is no use of agency staff. Young people receive good continuity of care.  Staff are supervised and appraised well. New staff receive good support and a thorough induction.  Young people are safe. Staffing levels provide one-to-one support that protects them and keeps them safe.  Staff understand the risks that young people pose to themselves and others. They manage young people’s risks well.  Young people are fit and well. They enjoy a variety of activities that promote their well-being.  Young people benefit from positive and supportive relationships with staff. These enable them to take responsibility for their own behaviours and help them to make progress in aspects of their development.  Some areas require improvement: monitoring of young people’s finances,

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The children’s home provision is good because:

fire arrangements (emergency lighting), room searches and monitoring of the staff roster (including the manager).

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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.

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home and ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that persons working at the home and, so far as reasonably practicable, children are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire. (Regulation 25 (1)(a)(d)) 09/09/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4 and ensure that the records are kept up to date. In particular, in relation to the staff rota (including the manager) and young people’s finances. (Regulation 37 (2)(a)(b) Schedule 4 (3)(7)) 09/09/2016

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Recommendations

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

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies and procedures on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. In particular, in relation to room searches. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company, and provides care and accommodation for up to two young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The service provides a specialist therapeutic programme and staff practice therapeutic techniques under supervision of a qualified therapist.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

23/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

05/02/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Good

Young people receive good quality care delivered in line with their health and care plans. This helps them to get the best out of their care experience while receiving individualised support. A social worker made the following comments about the service and care to an independent visitor:  ‘I am happy with the service.’  ‘He receives appropriate care.’  ‘There is effective communication with the home.’  ‘I receive regular progress reports.’

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Good

Since the last full inspection in January 2016, another young person became resident. The manager ensures that any potential new resident is subject to a thorough matching process. This ensures that the risk of each child placed and any potential admission is evaluated. During a key working meeting a young person made the following comments:  ‘This is one of the nicest and friendliest places I have lived.’  ‘All staff and the other young person are great.’  ‘I have fun and feel comfortable.’

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Good

Young people take part in a variety of activities to meet their social, physical and emotional well-being needs. They are tailored to their individual age and ability. A staff member said, ‘They engage well with activities. They go to the gym, swimming and theme parks.’ Some young people attend regular social community activities. As a result, young people make a positive contribution to the community they live in. One young person regularly attends the children’s voice project. Young people are given the opportunity to discuss topics about being in care. This helps the voice of children looked after to be heard and contributes to shaping their futures.

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Good

The progress that young people make is recognised and their achievements are celebrated. Staff place awards and certificates on display. This makes young people feel valued and proud of what they have done. Staff attend important events, such as sports days and parents’ evenings. As a result, young people feel included and part of a family.

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Good

Staff provide young people with a good, balanced diet. They promote healthy lifestyles and are positive role models. Staff encourage young people, depending on their age and ability, to engage in chores around the home, such as laundry, cleaning, washing up and shopping. This helps young people to broaden their life skills and prepares them for independence. Young people engage well and respond to the therapy that the home provides. Staff work in partnership with the home’s therapist to deliver the model of therapy used. They incorporate activities depending on what stage they are at. The therapist said, ‘Staff are helping with tasks like tucking him in at night and washing his hair. The activities are in place to support him daily in line with his therapy.’ As a result, young people make emotional and psychological progress.

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Good

Staff are passionate about the care they provide. They know and understand the individual needs of each young person. This is reflected in the response from a family member who commented to an independent visitor about her granddaughter:  ‘Delighted that she has somewhere nice to live.’  ‘Can’t say enough about the staff who are absolutely fantastic.’  ‘Have peace of mind that she is safe and is living with people who care about her and want the best for her.’  ‘Have seen many positive changes in the short time she has lived in the home and believe that staff are doing an amazing job.’  ‘There is lots of communication.’  ‘Staff are very friendly and have welcomed me in the home when I have visited.’  ‘Have no complaints or concerns and hope that the placement will continue to be positive.’

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Good

Young people benefit from contact with those who are important to them. Any visitors to the home are welcomed. This helps to maintain important family ties, strengthens bonds and improves relationships.

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Requires improvement

Young people feel safe. They are provided with one-to-one staffing levels that protect them and keep them safe. Staff understand the risks that young people pose to themselves and others. They manage risk well through clear and robust behaviour management plans. This helps young people to manage their behaviour better. Staff use consequences to help young people to take responsibility for their actions. For example, removal of a bedroom television aerial is used as a sanction for poor behaviour. There is an opportunity to earn it back. Young people can earn this by turning their behaviour around. This helps young people to make better choices. Young people feel that the sanctions are fair. Physical restraint is only used as a last resort by trained staff. Young people understand the reasons for the use of the measure and take part in a debrief following the incident. The records are kept well, are up to date and are clear. The

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Requires improvement

manager monitors and evaluates them to ensure that good practice is maintained.

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Requires improvement

It is not clear from the fire safety equipment records whether the emergency lights have been checked weekly. The emergency lights are missing from their stated location points as stated in the fire risk assessment. The health and safety monitoring has not picked this up. Furthermore, weekly monitoring has not been done in line with the home’s fire policy. This means that faults and issues go undetected and unreported. This does not guarantee everyone’s safety in the event of a fire.

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Requires improvement

Staff undertake room searches of young people’s bedrooms when safeguarding concerns are raised. For example, where it is believed that a young person may be harbouring items that may be used to cause themselves or others injury or harm, staff complete a room search. However, staff do not always follow the home’s policy and procedure when deciding to undertake a bedroom search. Young people are not always consulted beforehand. This does not give the young person the option to give consent, to be present or to volunteer to hand in any item that might be a concern.

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Requires improvement

The staff and manager work in close partnership with the police, particularly when young people go missing from home. Young people are helped to return home safely and quickly. Staff work hard with young people to try to establish the triggers to going missing and follow the home’s procedures to report them missing and to get them home safely. The local authority provides an independent person to complete a return home interview. However, young people often refuse to take part.

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Requires improvement

Allegations and safeguarding concerns are always referred directly to the local authority designated officer. Appropriate action is taken by the manager to safeguard the young person during and after any concerns are raised. This helps to protect the young people from the risk of harm or abuse. Staff are trained and knowledgeable in safeguarding.

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Requires improvement

Young people are clear about how to complain. They have direct access to advocates and materials, such as complaint forms, to raise any concerns. Grumbles and minor complaints are discussed during house meetings and on a daily basis with staff. This helps to address issues before they become a formal complaint, and ensures that the voices of young people are heard and they are taken seriously.

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Requires improvement

The home is well maintained, furnished and decorated. Improvements to the staff office are under way. This helps to maintain the home to a good standard. Judgement grade

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Requires improvement

The home is managed by a suitably qualified and experienced manager. She has a level 4 NVQ in management, children and young people. The manager is also undertaking her level 5 diploma in leadership and management. A deputy manager is now in position to support the manager. She, too, is suitably qualified. Most staff are qualified. Those who are unqualified are within regulatory timescales at present to obtain their qualifications within two years of starting work.

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Requires improvement

The financial records of young people do not always adequately record actual money held. For example, savings given to young people weekly are not recorded to show accurately the running total saved. This does not protect young people’s finances and leaves them vulnerable to financial abuse.

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Requires improvement

The staff duty roster is not clear, accurate or kept up to date with regard to staff working and actual hours worked. Staff on duty often differ to those actually working. For example, the manager manages two homes. The roster does not clearly indicate when the manager has worked at the home. However, the daily log book records the manager being on site. The two records do not cross reference to each other. This makes it difficult to know actual times worked. The monitoring of Schedule 4 records in respect of the roster is weak. It has not picked up the shortfall in the record keeping. Some records of the rosters were not available at the time of inspection. For example, there is a gap from week starting 17 July 2016 to 6 August 2016. This makes it difficult to establish if the home is suitably staffed.

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Requires improvement

Staff are suitably supervised, appraised and trained to ensure that they are skilled and knowledgeable to perform their role effectively. New staff receive good induction and extra supervision to support them into their new position. A staff member said, ‘I have completed my induction and all mandatory training. I have supervision every two weeks and I have enrolled in my diploma level 3. I really enjoy my job.’ An external visitor monitors the home monthly. Reports are shared and any action required is addressed by the manager. In addition, the manager reviews the quality of care biannually. Reports are sent to Ofsted in line with regulation. This helps to evaluate how the service is doing and what can be improved. The manager and staff work well with external professionals. Partnership working is good. They are confident to challenge poor practice to ensure that young people receive care in line with their plans.

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Requires improvement

The manager has addressed the requirement made at the last inspection. The records of physical intervention are clear and accurately reflect the incidents. Staff understand the importance of clear and accurate record keeping. Staff are clear about the home’s statement of purpose, aims and objectives. They put them into practice daily. They know and understand how to support young people and deliver good quality care. When information changes, the manager reviews the statement of purpose and shares any updates in line with regulation.

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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 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 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

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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, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for children looked after 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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